DPS61 considers building new American Dreamer STEM Academy, scraps plans for Dennis

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND)- The Decatur School Board is scrapping its plans to build a new Dennis Lab school in favor of building a new American Dreamer STEM Academy. The board said they have to pivot in order to use federal covid dollars before time runs out.

DPS61 is scrambling to determine whether to spend millions in federal covid money allocated to the district, after the Decatur Park District's Board said it would not sell Lincoln Park for the district to build a new school.

"Unless we get some breaks, its going to be hard to build the school that everyone wants for what we've got money-wise to build it with," Board President Dan Oakes said during a special finance meeting Monday night. 

The Board considered several other properties for the new Dennis school, including the old Woodrow Wilson Junior High.

"If those dollars were consumed on property acquisition, attorneys fees and all the other legal work- and also the demolition of the structure. From where we're at I don't think that's terribly feasible, Kent Metzger, Building and Grounds Director for DPS61 explained."

DPS61 is now considering changing its plans entirely, to build a new American Dreamer STEM Academy instead.

"We've got land at Oak Grove, we've got a grant approved for a school- I say we build them a brand new school at Oak Grove," Board member Andrew Taylor proposed.

Board members agree, American Dreamer's building is in bad shape.

"Things that are desperately needed to have a viable building that I don't' think is safe otherwise. So I think that's the top priority for our money," Board member Al Scheider added.

"You can't put band aides on top of asbestos. It just doesn't work and the longer the kids are potentially exposed to asbestos, the health situation could be something we're going to get in trouble with," President Oakes explained.

Some renovations at American Dreamer were budgeted into the DPS61 application to ISBE in the outline for how it would spend covid money. But President Oakes said it may be more cost effective to build a new school instead.

"My concern when you start renovating a building- it's like renovating a house, you don't know what's under the floor boards," Oakes added.

Oakes said he is confident ISBE will approve an amendment to the DPS61 application for spending ESSER dollars. 

Administrators plan to have an outline to the board at the next meeting in two weeks. A final application must be submitted to ISBE by the end of September.

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