Building 73.5 Engagement FAQs

Building 73.5 is a community-led public engagement program that brings families, staff, and community members together to address key school facility challenges. By listening to everyone’s ideas and best thinking, we can provide schools that keep our kids safe and secure and prepare them for the future.

Everyone in the Skokie 73.5 community is encouraged to attend our Community Engagement Sessions and provide input to help develop a plan for the future of our schools!

While it is helpful to attend every session, it is not required. We encourage everyone to participate in the process as their schedule allows, even if it’s only one session.

Participants in Building 73.5 are developing recommendations for the Board of Education that include goals and priorities to improve our schools and plan for the future. These recommendations will reflect the thoughts and opinions of our entire community and we need to hear what you think!

Building 73.5 is a community-led effort. Community co-chairs lead a facilitating team of parents, staff, community leaders, and district leadership. This facilitating team is responsible for developing the Community Engagement Sessions and other ways to gather community feedback. The facilitating team also leads the preparation of the final recommendation of goals and priorities for the Board of Education.

Each Community Engagement Session is an interactive workshop that includes a 30 - 45 minute informational presentation on a specific topic followed by a small-group work activity. Participants are seated in groups of four to eight people and work together to come to a general agreement on a series of tasks related to the informational presentation. When the tasks are completed, each group shares their ideas and suggestions with everyone in attendance. 

The feedback gathered during these work activities serves as the foundation for the recommendations to the Board of Education.

Each community engagement session runs from 7 - 9 p.m. We want to be respectful of your time and will end every session by 9 p.m. if not before.

The engagement session dates and topics are as follows:

SPRING 2025
Session 1: April 21 - Our School Buildings’ Strengths, Challenges, and Needs
Session 2: May 20 - Understanding Educational Needs: Priorities for Our School Facilities
 

FALL 2025
Provide Feedback on Designs. (Dates will be announced in August.)

If needed, any additional topics will be determined by the Building 73.5 facilitating team.

Session 1: April 21 - Our School Buildings’ Strengths, Challenges, and Needs
John Middleton Elementary
8300 St. Louis Avenue, Skokie, IL 60076
7-9 p.m.

Session 2: May 20 - Understanding Educational Needs: Priorities for Our School Facilities
Oliver McCracken Middle School
8000 East Prairie Road, Skokie, IL 60076
7-9 p.m.

Fall 2025 - Dates, times and locations will be announced in August.

Yes! All of the Building 73.5 Community Engagement Sessions are thoroughly documented. For information about each session, click here.

Yes, during the process we will offer a survey to give everyone in the community the opportunity to provide feedback. Stay tuned to our social media channels and website for more information.

To learn more, email [email protected].