ORANGEVILLE — After it was first put in place nearly a century ago, the Orangeville Elementary School will cease to operate as one at the end of the 2018-19 school year. 

Superintendent Douglas DeSchepper said boiler deficiencies in the building led to the decision; either invest in costly upgrades or no longer operate the building by moving all students to one structure.

“It was kind of always in the back of our minds, but it really came to us when they said they were going to close us down,” he said. 

The work to see which was the best option began after the Illinois state fire marshal inspected the school’s boiler system. DeSchepper said the boilers have been in place since the 1930s. The system was recertified in 2017, but for the last time, the marshal informed the district. 

 A study was conducted. The district eventually determined that it could not afford to continue running the elementary school. 

The decision to no longer use the building was made by school board members this month in two meetings. The first was a vote in favor of approving an energy savings contract with Engie Energy Services Inc. of Chicago during a meeting Sept. 10. The other was during a special board meeting Sept. 20, where DeSchepper said board members voted unanimously to borrow $4 million in bonding through an alternative revenue source.

“It was an opportunity without going to taxpayers,” DeSchepper said. “The whole idea is not to raise taxes.”

Because the district is in the process of closing down a school building, it has access to alternate revenue to make upgrades to the Orangeville High School to accommodate incoming students. Through studies and work with experts, district officials determined that reducing the population to one building would save roughly $3 million immediately by avoiding infrastructure, health and other critical improvements needed at the elementary school. It would also save more than $5 million over 20 years by reducing operating costs.

Additional savings from closing the elementary school will be reductions in support staff, the termination of contracts with companies for alarms, building repairs and supplies, lack of need for inspections and safety surveying, and fewer utility bills. 

The savings from maintenance and reduction in staff will result in roughly $220,000 in net savings, according to the district press release.

The elementary building was built in three phases; the first constructed in 1937, then added to in 1958 and again in 1966. There were additional issues with the school, DeSchepper said. He noted that his office is at the building and has personally felt the effects of the boiler only being at 40 percent energy efficiency and how cold the rooms quickly became when the infrastructure failed over winter months. 

Costs to replace boilers and upgrade infrastructure throughout the building were an estimated $2 million. DeSchepper said the district would not have been able to simply borrow those funds to make repairs. Alternative bonds can’t be used to repair the elementary, but can provide help to improve the future site of all classes within the district.

The contract with Engie will allow the district to make upgrades to the building currently being used as the high school. Officials have planned to add two energy efficient, secure entrances, two dedicated grade-specific drop-off areas and a number of technology upgrades.

“Every classroom is going to get new technology,” DeSchepper said.

The funding will cover adding air conditioning to the final quarter of the building which currently doesn’t have it, he added. Other upgrades include energy efficient lighting upgrades and additional playground equipment. 

An additional multi-purpose room, which DeSchepper said will be used for wellness and physical education, will be included within costs at $1.6 million. Most of the changes will be done within the existing footprint of the building, he said. 

Most people who attended community meetings before the decision was made were inquisitive and concerned over the tax cost of such a change, DeSchepper said. He added that the district will continue to release information to the public. 

Engie workers have been authoring plans. Per the contract between the company and the district, work must be completed by Sept. 19.