School District U-46 is in the midst of a significant relocation project known as “Moving the U.” According to Lela Majstorovic, deputy superintendent of instruction, the shift of sixth grade to middle school is a key aspect of the plan. However, it represents just one element of a broader initiative named Unite U-46.
The project’s goal is to ensure equitable access to quality classrooms across the district. This involves various changes such as expanding access to preschool, adjusting school boundaries, retiring old buildings, and undertaking renovations and new constructions.
A mover was seen stacking boxes at Hanover Countryside Elementary School in Streamwood as part of this shift. The school district aims to improve alignment of facilities, programs, and resources with student needs, providing modern learning environments accessible to all students.
Bruce Phelps, the project contractor, mentions that relocating equipment, furniture, and other items will be a massive task. The project costs exceed $426,000 and employs 220 persons, including 113 movers. The completion deadline is set for June 18, before the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Those items will move to other schools, and with respect to most of the sixth-grade curriculum, it will be retired as it is being replaced,” said Phelps. “The other curriculum, furniture and equipment will be redistributed throughout the district as needed, with some of the older items being retired.
The extensive work includes relocating 25,000 boxes and about 75,000 pieces of furniture and equipment across 47 school buildings in 11 communities over 90 miles, such as Elgin, South Elgin, Bartlett, Hanover Park, and Streamwood. Planning consisted of three stages.
The first stage involved creating a master move document. This document outlined the movements of classrooms, equipment, and curricula either within a building or to another school. The second stage involved crafting instructions on how to pack and label boxes, furniture, and other equipment. The third stage entailed a bidding process to hire movers for executing the move outlined in the master file.
Several meetings were held with vendors to review plans and ensure that their employees were cleared for working on school district property. Although classes commence on August 27, the aim is to complete the relocation early. This allows ample time for other necessary preparations, including building maintenance, before the start of the new school year.
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