First conceived as a replacement for its 100+ year-old name sake, the new District 231 Lincoln Elementary school is located on 49 acres of former agriculture land on the north side of town adjacent to the community’s High School complex. Partially funded with a 2003 state construction grant, the new PK-5 facility has three grade sections and serves over 450 students including segments for early childhood and special education.

 

The building is organized into small groups of classroom ‘pods’ which are color coded and grouped according to age/class. This helps the younger students navigate the building while breaking down the scale so they are not intimidated by the overall size of the building.

 

Its state-of-the-art classrooms have the latest in teaching technology and are supported by smart building automation. This enhances the learning environment and reduces long term operating costs.

 

The new school was laid out using sustainable design principles. The entire building is being heated and cooled with ground source – or geothermal – energy. Pulling heat from over 100 deep wells on site, the school’s HVAC operates far more efficiently than its predecessor, substantially reducing the district’s energy costs.