Nine schools within Community Consolidated School District 21 have received perfect scores as part of annual Life Safety inspections by the Regional Office of Education for North Cook.
Hawthorne Early Childhood Center, London Middle School and Field, Frost, Kilmer, Poe, Riley, Tarkington and Twain Elementary Schools each received perfect scores, an increase from five schools last year and zero in 2022-2023.
“We are incredibly proud of our nine schools receiving a perfect score on the annual Life Safety inspection from the Regional Office of Education for North Cook,” said Dr. Michael Connolly, superintendent of CCSD21. “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for both our students and staff. I want to thank our dedicated facilities team and everyone involved in ensuring our schools meet the highest standards of safety. This is a testament to the hard work and collaboration that goes into making our schools a place where students can thrive, learn, and grow.”
Each school is evaluated on a series of safety issues, including but not limited to a record or schedule of all school safety drills already conducted or planned for the past and upcoming school years, current inspection certificates for elevators or other types of lifts, current boiler inspection certificates, current inspection certificates for cooking hood exhaust systems, and current inspection reports for the fire alarm system and sprinkler systems.
The ROE inspector is often accompanied by the local fire department, which will review the building for safety concerns related to potential fire hazards, egress/ingress and storage concerns related to potential fire hazards.
Glen Michelini, director of operations for the district, credited the increase in the number of perfect scores to greater attention on the inspection process, meetings with head custodians, reviewing the results from last year, and performing a pre-inspection at all schools before the appointment.
“All of the inspectors complimented the condition, cleanliness and improvement to our schools,” Michelini added, discussing the impact of the district’s summer construction on these inspections.
Micheal DeBartolo, assistant superintendent for finance and operations/CSBO, said the increase in the number of perfect scores was “a testament to the dedication and hard work of our school staff.”
“It reflects our commitment to ensuring that our students and staff are in a safe, secure, and conducive learning environment,” he added. “Safety is not just a standard; it’s an ongoing commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn in a space where they feel protected and supported.”
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