Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is moving ahead with its first referendum in 20 years after the Board of Education voted to place a revised referendum question on the March 2026 ballot.
The district plans to ask for $87.8 million, a more than 30% reduction from initial proposals, to help fund the construction of two new elementary schools, the renovation of another two elementary schools, and various infrastructure improvements throughout D109.
According to a district webpage on the referendum, Walden and Wilmot elementary schools would be completely replaced. Kipling and South Park elementary schools would be renovated and see additions. Caruso and Shephard middle schools will see various safety, security, HVAC and learning-space updates.
District communications say more than 60% of total project costs would be funded through D109 resources, including fund balance and alternate bonds, with the remaining 40% to be funded through the referendum.
The work would address aging infrastructure and outdated mechanical systems, ensure the schools are ADA accessible, expand and modernize classrooms and reduce expensive emergency repairs and system failures.
The district also argues moving ahead now rather than later is more financially responsible, with construction price escalation estimated to be $9 million per year.
Referendum details, the schedule of information sessions, a tax-impact calculator and an FAQ are available on the district’s website.
Cathy Kedjidjian, chief communications officer for the district, said the referendum is the culmination of a years-long process of looking at their facilities and gathering feedback and input from the community.
If the district were to do nothing, Kedjidjian said it would end up spending $177 million over 20 years simply maintaining the existing infrastructure.
The original proposal was for about $121 million, but Kedjidjian said consultants determined the community’s “tax sensitivity” was high, recommending a reduction of scope.
The result was millions in reductions, eliminating third multipurpose rooms at the elementary schools, scaling back or deferring smaller, non-essential items, and deferring some proactive infrastructure upgrades. The updated plan also simplifies playground designs and “refines temporary construction needs.”
Kedjidjian said the district’s last referendum was in 2005, which was only meant to “keep the lights on.” Since then, the district has had more than 20 years of surplus budgets, she said.
“Now is the time, because we’ve maintained our facilities as best we can, but the infrastructure is at or nearing end of life,” Kedjidjian said.
She warned of plumbing issues at all of the district’s elementary schools. South Park had even had its main line break twice in the last 12 months. While they hadn’t necessitated shutting down the school, if such breaks were to occur within the building, it would carry a $150,000 price tag per mobile classroom to switch to remote learning while repairs are made.
“We need to address these facilities sooner rather than later, weighing the cost escalation that happens in construction,” Kedjidjian said.
If the referendum passes in March, work could begin as soon as next summer, with work on the middle schools. Construction of new school buildings for Walden and Wilmot would begin in June 2027, with both new buildings opening in August 2028. The existing schools would remain open as “swing sites.”
Renovations on Kipling and South Park would start in June 2028, with both fully renovated schools opening in August 2029.
Demolition of the old Walden and Wilmot buildings and conversion to green spaces would start in August 2029 and go through 2030.