The Cook County Public Schools is undergoing a major transformation, securing a bright future for students in the Grand Marais area thanks to overwhelming community support for recent referendums. This ambitious project centers on a significant addition and extensive remodeling of the existing facility.
The 23,364 square foot addition introduces several key functional areas. It features a new gymnasium, a dedicated fitness center, athletic commons, modern locker rooms, and all-inclusive toilets, significantly enhancing the district’s athletic and wellness facilities. Furthermore, this expansion will serve as the new student support hub and administrative offices. The student services, district offices, high school office, nurse office, and counseling suite are all being relocated to this expanded area. This entire section will be anchored by a new secure main entry and a welcome center, prioritizing student safety and visitor experience.
In parallel with the expansion, a substantial 42,400 square feet of existing space is being remodeled. A central focus of the remodel is celebrating cultural heritage by relocating the Ojibwe classroom and Anishinaabe Academic Center to a prominent location near the school’s main entry. This space is designed for specialized learning, featuring easy access to the outside for outdoor learning and specialized HVAC to accommodate cultural ceremonies like smudging.
The design also enhances the main common areas to promote community, safety and natural light. The media center is being opened up and integrated into the school commons. Skylights are being added here to flood the area with natural light, and the design ingeniously allows this natural light to be shared, or “borrowed,” by the adjacent Ojibwe Center. Similarly, the cafeteria will receive new skylights, and its double doors will be replaced with a large garage door, with new windows added to pull light from the connected commons corridor, creating a brighter, more integrated environment. Along the main commons circulation route, there will be remodeled / new universal toilet facilities accessible to all. By creating these restroom areas off the main circulation path allows for enhanced security and supervision to allow for anyone who uses them to feel safe and comfortable.
Finally, the remodeled spaces include crucial upgrades to specialized and staff facilities. The new special education classrooms are meticulously designed with a kitchenette, bathroom, shower, sink, and laundry facilities, and importantly, each room will include dedicated de-escalating rooms. Staff support is also improved with a revamped staff lounge featuring a kitchenette, a mother’s room, toilets, and a locker area for substitutes and paraprofessionals.
