The opening of the new Foster School in Evanston has sparked a mix of emotions within the community. While some residents are excited about the completed project, others remain skeptical, distrustful, and disappointed, echoing the sentiments that plagued the school's design, construction, and financing journey. The new school, located on a shared campus with the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center and the old Foster School, marks a significant milestone in the area's history. For decades, the original Foster School was a cornerstone of Family Focus, providing essential social services to the surrounding neighborhood.
The story of the Foster School is deeply intertwined with the desegregation of Evanston's public schools. In 1967, as a response to the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, District 65 implemented a desegregation plan. The old Foster School played a pivotal role in this transformation, becoming a magnet school to desegregate other schools in the district. Black children were reassigned to different schools, and white students were attracted to Foster, further desegregating the system. However, the school's fate took a turn in the late 1970s due to declining enrollment, leading to its closure in 1979, a decision met with resistance from Black leaders.
The call for a new school in the Fifth Ward, near the old Foster School, has been a recurring theme for years. The RoundTable, in a 2012 editorial, supported the referendum for a new K-5 school, emphasizing the need to address the concerns of the African American community. The editorial highlighted the loss of a vital institution and the negative impact on the neighborhood's cohesion and engagement. Despite the strong support, the referendum failed, with a significant majority voting against it.
Fast forward to 2022, and the school board unanimously approved a new school in the Fifth Ward. This time, the board opted for a unique financing model, leasing the school from a nominee bank and funding construction with lease certificates. The district committed to paying approximately $3.2 million annually until 2042, using operating funds rather than property taxes. However, the project encountered challenges when transportation costs soared, and the estimated cost of the school increased from $40 million to $65 million. As a result, the board decided to scale down the project to a K-5 school for 600 students, with an initial enrollment of 320.
The new Foster School, while not without its critics, represents a significant step forward for the community. It addresses the long-standing need for a school in the Fifth Ward and aims to provide a neighborhood-based education option. However, it falls short of the ideal, as it cannot replicate the legacy of the old Foster School. The school's interior will feature a heritage hall, paying homage to the past, but it is also a modern educational facility, designed to nurture and challenge the next generation of leaders and innovators.
In conclusion, the new Foster School is a testament to the community's resilience and commitment to education. While it may not fully satisfy the nostalgia for the past, it represents a step towards a more inclusive and accessible educational system in Evanston. As the school welcomes its first students, it opens a new chapter in the history of the Foster School, one that promises to foster growth, learning, and a sense of community for generations to come.
