Construction crews are finishing the gymnasium and there are carpets to put down at DeKalb's new Dr. Leroy A. Mitchell Elementary, but as principal Maurice McDavid walks around, you can already hear kids giggling in a classroom.
“Those are our kindergarten friends," he said, "probably doing some play-based learning right now. Oh yeah, they got some duck duck goose going in there."
Soon, over 400 students from Kindergarten through 5th grade will sit in these classrooms. For McDavid, it’s still a little hard to believe it’s the culmination of a multi-year, nearly $34 million renovation effort to transform the former Northern Illinois University nursing building.
At the official grand-opening, superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez said, at the end of the day, this new school is a response to the district’s needs.
“To reduce overcrowding, balance enrollment across our district," she said, "and ensure all children have access to a modern, welcoming, and safe learning environment."
McDavid says opening this school allows them to lower class sizes while lessening dependence on busing. That’s because Mitchell sits in DeKalb's north corridor neighborhood, where over 30 percent of the district’s elementary-age kids live.
“Within our general education population," said McDavid, "we should have pretty much only students walking, which means they all live within a mile and a half."
A new school also means they can think about classroom design, both in terms of how classrooms are laid out in the building and how each individual room is set up.
“One of the things, I think, to note about Mitchell," said the principal, "is that it really was designed with some of our special programs in mind, rather than kind of an afterthought with some of these older buildings where special education was being run differently in the 70s."
DeKalb’s special education program is known in the district as “SOAL,” short for “Specialized Opportunities for Academic and Life Skills.” At Mitchell, students in the program share a wing with kids their same age, instead of getting isolated.
“[Here’s] one of our SOAL teachers putting in the work," said McDavid, walking into one of those classes as a teacher unloads boxes. "So, with our SOAL program in particular, the idea of having these work spaces where students are able to do some small group work."
Mitchell is a STEAM school, complete with labs for hands-on projects with plugs hanging from the ceiling. They also have a music room, community garden, and of course, a space for recess.
"Poke your head out here. Look at that playground, baby!" said the principal. "Let's go! So, the wood chips are all in, the poured rubber is poured and the black top is painted."
The school is named after DeKalb pastor and educator Dr. Leroy A. Mitchell. He was the longtime director of NIU’s CHANCE program. Dr. Mitchell attended and spoke at the grand opening.
“This is tremendous," he said. "Young people will be excited about coming to school and staying in school and learning. I'm grateful to have my father's name on this building. He would be pleased.”
The building features a mural of Dr. Mitchell where students can learn about his passion for education. McDavid says the plan is to have him come in to speak to the kids early in the school year.
This new school is also a homecoming for principal McDavid. He grew up in DeKalb, started his career here, and his kids attend the district.
“I really count it an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to lead this building at this time," he said. "I'm humbled.”
He’s also aware that this is a major project and, with that, comes some disruption.
“I regularly think about the fact," said McDavid, "that, like, if I read somebody who is frustrated with having to move schools, you know, ‘my fifth grader has been at this other school for K-4 and now they've got to move schools.’ I think to myself, 'that's kind of my fault. I'm sorry.' Except that, of course, I didn't make the decision. But I'm fully on board with it, and I think we can sell it, right? The sell is we're having smaller class sizes. We're able to service this community without busing them 25 and 30 minutes. So, I think that this place coming online is good for DeKalb.”
Mitchell’s mascot is the Monarchs. There are butterflies painted around the building. It evokes beauty and growth, but also monarchs like greatness: kings and queens. McDavid says he’s confident that they can build a sense of belonging and beauty while expecting academic excellence.
“We're talking about chronic absenteeism," he said. "We're talking about, ultimately, performance, academic performance on assessments. But those things are going to happen within this space where people are safe."
The first day of school at DeKalb’s Dr. Leroy A. Mitchell Elementary is August 13.
