SYCAMORE | If a bond measure on the April 17 ballot passes, it will allow Sycamore to raise up to $30 million to finance construction of a new elementary school and renovate a few of the older schools.

The new school, planned for the intersection of Plank Road and Linden Place, will contain kindergarten through fifth grade classes. The expansion is part of a plan formalized in November 2006 in response to a forecasted doubling of the student population in Sycamore over the next ten years. The board of education wrote the plan intending to create “as much equity as possible across district buildings.”

The building will have what architect Jim Woods of FGM Architects, the firm designing the school, describes as a three-plus design with three classrooms per grade and three “swing classrooms” to accommodate fluctuations in the number of students in each grade each year.

Board of education member Donald Clayberg said he is very impressed with the plan so far. The proposed location, near the high-traffic area of Peace Road, is Clayberg’s only worry. On the other hand, he notes that this area is expected to grow substantially.

“The location is perfect for what will become a very populated area,” Clayberg said, “I’m very impressed with the school because citizen advisory committees had a lot of input.”

As design and construction move forward, planners say they want to look into using green technology – heating water with solar energy and using natural daylight to cut the amount of electricity used daily.

The entire plan is contingent on the bond measure passing. Sycamore superintendent Dr. Wayne Riesen said districts may not promote their own referendums, but they may educate. Riesen said he hopes to talk to a number of small groups through March.

“We’re going to the Sycamore City Council, church groups [and] anybody who wants to see a short program,” Riesen said.