Under a beautiful blue sky, District 233 school board members gathered around Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for the official ribbon cutting for Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s science wing on May 6.
With a snip of the red ribbon, the $23 million building added on to the South Building was officially dedicated to the students and teachers who will have beautiful spaces meant to inspire learning. Approximately 75% of the 2,700 students at H-F will take at least one science course during their high school years.
At the dedication ceremony afterward, Stratton told the audience of dignitaries and H-F supporters that she was delighted to know the new space was a Net Zero building, meaning it will be generating its power needs through solar panels on the roof and 20 geo-thermal wells dug underground for heating and cooling needs.
Stratton urged the audience seated in the Learning Common, a two-story open space designed for lectures and guest speaker presentations, “Just pause for a moment and look around. This is a beautiful building, and I want to thank everyone who helped make it possible. “
“This is a big deal,” she said, pointing out that H-F’s Net Zero space is only the second high school building of its kind in Illinois.
“What we’re witnessing here is nothing less than history in the making,” she said, “but not just history being made today, it’s the future, because while the facility itself is incredible, I know that the discovery that takes place inside the Net Zero building will be even more extraordinary.”
Stratton reminded guests that “we continue to face the existential threat of climate change” but added she was proud “to see innovation like this taking place in Illinois.”
State funding helped cover a portion of the costs of construction, including a $2 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation; a $500,000 Illinois State Capital Development Improvement Grant; and a $40,000 ComEd New Construction Grant. The school board took a $20 million loan for the construction.
Superintendent Scott Wakeley went through a thank you list for those who were a part of the building process, including the school board; H-F Chief School Business Officer Lawrence Cook; Ed Wright and Ryan Kelley of DLA Architects; Jim Patterson, H-F’s director of operations; and Illinois Sen. Napoleon Harris, who helped get state funding.
Wakeley also asked for a moment of silence to honor worker Ronald Simonson. The mason tragically died Feb. 7, 2024, after being injured at the work site.
District 233 Board President Gerald Pauling and Wakeley both acknowledged the ongoing support from the community.
“Our community supports Homewood-Flossmoor like no other place I’ve ever been in my 35 years of education,” Wakeley said. “This building is testament to the commitment this community has to education, an unwavering community making sure our students have the best.”
After the ceremony, science teacher Matt Gibson stood on a second-floor open area that he hopes to use as an outdoor classroom during his astronomy class observations.
Gibson, who also teaches biology and geology said, “I can’t wait. The labs look phenomenal.” And each classroom has windows, a big change from the interior space in the South Building now used for science. “I haven’t had windows in a classroom in about 17 years.”
Junior Douwe Groen, who was one of the students welcoming guests in the new space, said he immediately recognized the size of the 16 classroom/lab spaces, designed to be twice as large as a current classroom.
“The rooms are a lot bigger, and the tables and chairs are specially geared for science,” Groen said. “And there are a lot more windows. My current classroom for my chem class has no windows.”
Related stories:
- H-F science wing: Meeting the needs of a new generation (May 5, 2025).
- H-F expects its new science wing will begin serving students in March (Nov. 25, 2024).
- District 233 officials break ground on new science wing (July 31, 2023).
- District 233 approves $29.7-million contract for new science wing, updates in culinary and fashion design (July 23, 2023).
- H-F board considering cost reductions to proposed science wing (April 26, 2023).
- H-F science wing considered for Net Zero energy plan (Sept. 1, 2022).
- H-F board to hear how new science wing will improve learning (June 18, 2022).
- District 233 board will consider financial proposal for science wing (March 2, 2022).