Journal & Topics Media Group

Maine West Unveils Newly Constructed Common Area, Classrooms


Dist. 207 superintendent Ken Wallace cuts the ribbon atop the stair leading to the lower commons. (Noah Festenstein/Journal Photo)

After a slew of construction projects at Maine West High School, the school was proud to reveal the finished product through a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Sept. 16.

Across all Dist. 207 schools, classrooms have undergone renovations that include new flooring, lighting, air conditioning units and even visual aides for students like TVs, projectors and classroom set ups that provide better learning environments.

In the case of Maine West in Des Plaines, over six years of construction included a new athletic facility and fieldhouse — giving way for the school to clear out the old athletic facility, notoriously known as “The Pit”, to be revitalized as a two-story open common area that also serves as the new cafeteria.

This is where Friday’s ribbon-cutting during homecoming week took place, with Dist. 207 representatives and local government officials in attendance. Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski and State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-28th) were also there to celebrate.

“We’re here and it’s magnificent,” Maine West Principal Eileen McMahon said. “The biggest thanks we owe is to the community, they never ever let us down. This community supports this school like no other and these physical results here are proof of it. Our kids deserve it… they are grateful and happy.”

Dist. 207 Supt. Ken Wallace cut the ribbon, introducing a new era of student experience at Maine West. “What I’m really proud of, is this project even in the middle of a pandemic is that we are coming in under-budget, we are going to come in on or ahead of time, but you are going to see the quality of work that has been done in these buildings,” he said. 

New Maine West visual art classroom replacing the old C-wing gymnasium. (Noah Festenstein/Journal Photo)

“This is a 50-year-forward move, we haven’t done anything substantial in our buildings for a long long time, it was time to do this. These are the kind of buildings that reflect how we do school today, and I could not be more proud.”

Wallace cut the ribbon atop the stairs leading down to the lower level common area.

“It’s indescribable how fast construction went this summer,” McMahon said. “Now students here in [the common area] are right around the corner where everything happens.”

The common area is now the centerstone for socializing, with tables and lounge seating set up in the lower level. More tables, chairs, charging station tables for studying, vending machines and new cafeteria kitchens were installed in the upper level.

Tour groups were organized for attendees, as Dist. 207 emphasized the converted areas. This included the new culinary arts classrooms in H-wing, the new visual arts classrooms that were formerly the C-wing gymnasium, and all the revitalized classrooms.

Other highlights were new desks and chairs, CNA classrooms, the new outdoor secured concourse where students can be picked up by buses or walk across to the construction/building classes. The only classroom not upgraded in that section was the auto repair class.

According to a construction update from August, one of the only things left for Maine West to complete is final touches and elevator installations.

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