In Elgin’s School District U-46, Illinois’s second-largest public school district, several long-serving school buildings marked their “last first day” on Monday, including Lowrie Elementary, built in 1887, and Washington Elementary, built in 1893, The Chicago Tribune reports.
Riverfront, Elgin, Illinois (Steven Vance/Flickr Creative Commons)The closures are part of a $179 million plan approved by voters in 2023 to replace or renovate older facilities with modern, updated schools designed to meet current educational needs better.
At Lowrie, Principal Natalie Poli greeted students and families with upbeat music and a promise to make the final year a celebration. She acknowledged the emotional weight of closing such a historic building but emphasized the benefits the district’s modernization plan will bring, from improved learning environments to expanded access to special classes. Washington Elementary in Elgin, Hanover Countryside Elementary in Streamwood, and Illinois Park Center for Early Learning also opened their doors Monday for the final time in their current roles.
The district’s changes extend beyond closures, with Hawk Hollow Middle School in Bartlett now welcoming seventh graders after renovations and preparing to host sixth through eighth grades starting in the 2026-27 school year. In addition, all elementary schools, including those set to close, began the year with school days extended by 20 minutes to allow for more instruction, teacher collaboration, and special classes like music, health, art, and PE.
For many families, the day carried mixed emotions — nostalgia for neighborhood schools and pride in their histories, tempered by recognition that updated facilities will better serve future students. As Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain noted, the legacy of these schools will live on in the students they’ve shaped, even as the community looks ahead to a new chapter in education.
