District 112’s $12 million Oak Terrace improvement plan goes before School Board on May 19

As North Shore School District 112 moves forward with plans to close Red Oak Elementary and consolidate its dual-language program to Oak Terrace Elementary, district officials are now proposing a facility improvement plan to support the transition.

Community members can hear the full task-force report during the D112 Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 19.

As The Record previously reported, the district cited an ongoing enrollment decline as the primary reason to close Red Oak and consolidate to Oak Terrace by the 2027–’28 school year. The School Board locked in that decision in June 2025.

“To preserve the program’s quality, equity and long-term sustainability, we believe a single model is necessary,” the district’s website says.

As the process takes shape, the district proposed to the School Board on Tuesday, May 5, a draft facility improvement plan for Oak Terrace’s proposed enhanced services, which is currently under review, the district wrote in a May 7 email to the community. 

“This work [for the facility improvement plan] would better align Oak Terrace with the district’s recently renovated elementary schools, while preparing it to serve as the home of the full K-5 Dual Language Program,” says Dr. Monica Schroder, deputy superintendent and incoming superintendent, in the district’s video summary of the proposed Oak Terrace facility improvement plan.  

Proposed enhancements include classroom updates, special instructional and student-support spaces, a library media center, corridor collaboration, staff spaces, and food service inside the school, as well as a universally designed playground, site improvements, drop-off and bus lane safety and accessibility, and safety upgrades outside the school. 

The district has already spent more than $6 million at Oak Terrace to upgrade core systems, including heating, cooling, roofs, plumbing and site work. 

The plan was developed with the Facilities Subcommittee of the Dual Language Task Force, which has been meeting since October of last year. 

The district is currently in Phase 3 of the facility improvement plan, which would include improvingOak Terrace in 2026. This follows Phase 1 work (Northwood and Edgewood) approved in 2018, and Phase 2 (Indian Trail, Ravinia, Sherwood, Braeside and Wayne Thomas) approved in 2022.

The current cost projection for the Oak Terrace plan is $11.95 million, estimated as of May 5. Cost reportedly will continue to be refined as design work continues and bids are received. 

The current timeline of the plan includes design and bidding work completed in 2026, major interior and site work completed in 2027, substantial completion before the start of the 2027-’28 school year and the final completion is expected by December 2027. 

The community can attend the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 19, when the full report will be up for consideration. 

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