Deerfield Public Schools District 109 administrators recently received village approval to renovate cafeterias at Caruso and Shepard middle schools but only after they assured officials that new lunchroom windows could provide adequate protection from assault weapons.
The Deerfield Village Board’s unanimous approval of District 109’s request for a special-use permit, which was needed for the $4.2 million renovation project, during a meeting June 3 comes after Mayor Harriet Rosenthal and trustees wanted more information about the strength of the windows that would be installed around the new cafeterias.
During a meeting in late May, Rosenthal said she wanted to know whether the glass would be “assault weapon proof” on top of being bulletproof. When District 109 officials at that meeting said they were unsure, Rosenthal asked for more discussions about the protective quality of the glass before scheduling a final vote.
Since the meeting, Rosenthal, Village Manager Kent Street and Police Chief John Sliozis met with District 109 Superintendent Anthony McConnell and other school officials and discussed what alternatives, if any, should be considered.
“We were convinced that the plans presented addressed (our) concerns and we appreciate the extra efforts District 109 is making in this regard,” Rosenthal said recently.
Protective glass designed to stop bullets vary in strength and is graded by nine levels, McConnell said. One level includes glass used in public buildings, such as schools and village halls, while stronger levels include glass installed at embassies or military facilities, he said.
McConnell said the windows that would be installed as part of the renovations to the cafeterias at Shepard and Caruso are the best ones to use based on discussions with law enforcement officials and architects who design modern schools.
“I appreciate working with the village and the architects to get to a safety solution we all feel comfortable with,” McConnell said. “Based on the information we have, we feel this is a safe solution for our schools.”
The cafeteria renovations are a major part of a $6.9 million capital improvement project scheduled this summer at several of the district’s schools.
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.