411 on 115 - 3.21.23

March 21, 2023

Dear Lake Forest Families:

Early voting in Lake County and Lake Forest has begun in anticipation of the April 4 Consolidated Election. Included on the ballot will be a referendum for the protection and preservation of our 88-year-old high school.

What's in the Referendum?

This plan has no fluff, frills, or extras. What began as a $160 M scope of work, was reduced to $140M, and finally - based on careful Board consideration and community feedback - $105.7M. This covers only the basics, including roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, historic windows, lighting, masonry, safety and security systems, ADA accessibility enhancements, student support spaces, updated science labs, and updated classrooms. It does not pay for salaries or administrative expenses.

Videos describing each category of work may be found here:

• Maintenance and Infrastructure

• Safety and Security

• Traditional Classrooms

• Specialty Spaces

Click on the image below to take you to our pre-planning documentation for a more detailed look at anticipated work.

Financial Implications

On a home with a fair market value of $1M, the D115 Referendum would increase tax impact no more than $950 per year, or roughly $79 per month. Visit the tax calculator on our website to quickly view your tax impact based on your specific home value.

Why our Board of Education Supports this Investment

The video below features comments from members of your District 115 Board of Education at their March 7 meeting when they took a few minutes to explain why they unanimously voted to support this referendum in December 2022.

Still Have Questions?
For more information on the proposed District 115 referendum, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website or reach out to any District administrator or Board member.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this investment in our high school.

Sincerely,

Matthew L. Montgomery, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Vote by Mail: Applications are available HERE and can be requested until March 30, 2023 at 5pm.

Early Voting: Early Voting at Lake Forest City Hall is now open through Saturday, April 1, 2023. Registered voters can also vote early at the Lake County Clerk's Office through Monday, April 3, 2023.

Election Day: Election Day is Monday, April 4, 2023 6am-7pm.

For more information about voting, visit the Office of the County Clerk's website.

Please take a moment to learn more about some of the frequently asked questions about the D115 referendum. Questions include:

• Why is Lake Forest High School District 115 placing a bond referendum on the April 2023 ballot?
• How has the District done its due diligence identifying and prioritizing its capital facility needs?
  
• Has the District properly maintained the high school?
• Why do the proposed improvements cost so much?
  
• Why not use existing tax revenues or existing savings to address the proposed improvements?
  
• Is it true that District 115 administrative expenses were up by 80% from FY20 to FY21, as reported in the Illinois State Report Card?
  
• Will District 67 also be going for a referendum soon?
  
• Why does District 67 have a financial model that avoids these larger taxpayer requests?
• Which of the proposed facility improvements are likely to have the greatest academic impact?

• Tuesday, April 11 - Joint Special Meeting and Regular Meeting

Agendas will be posted prior to the meeting on the District 115 Board of Education website.

• Recording of Meeting

• Superintendent's Report

• Agenda

• School Spotlight: Little Scouts - Watch Below!

The Junior Class and the APT have been excitedly planning the "Dancing in the Moonlight" traditional Prom at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare for Saturday, May 6th since the beginning of the school year. Now it is around the corner! Project Safe Prom officially launched last week and we need your support.

Did you know the LFHS Prom is completely self-sustaining and we rely solely on ticket sales, junior class fundraising and your generosity?

Your donations will help fund a truly magical experience for our LFHS students. Each ticket will remain $95 per person, which includes plated dinner, entertainment, transportation, and security. However, the actual cost to host prom far exceeds the ticket price. We are looking to our generous community to help raise $35,000 to underwrite various costs associated with this event, such as the transportation and security.

Any contribution you are able to make is tax deductible and greatly appreciated!

Please see our newly released Summer School Catalog for the upcoming school year. Registration for Summer School closes on Friday, May 26 as we need to decide, based on enrollment, which courses will run.

Please see the link to our catalog below and to register.

2023 LFHS Summer Catalog 2023

Summer School Registration

We are excited to kick off a new series - LFHS Rockstar Retirees! This year, our “graduating class” of 17 talented teachers and staff members represent a total of 411 years of service. Together, they have taught and supported thousands of students during their LFHS careers. Each 411, we will share several of their profiles. Please join us in thanking and congratulating them!

“I don’t expect my speech to change the world, but if even one person can apply what I say about passion and apply it to their own life, that’d be enough for me” - Aiden Marquez (LFHS Senior)

We want to thank everyone who made this event possible and congratulate our student speakers and performers for their outstanding contributions. It takes a lot of bravery to get up on stage and share your thoughts and feelings with a live audience, and these students did it with grace and passion.

Thank you for your support and if you missed it, check out the event below!

• Band Newsletter - March 2023
• Choir Newsletter - March 2023
• Transition Newsletter - March 2023