A group of education and village officials have formed the Northwest Lake County Education Planning Group to deal with issues arising from projected population growth in Lindenhurst, Lake Villa and Antioch.
That growth, officials said, is causing enrollment to mushroom in Antioch Community High School District 117 and five elementary school districts that send their graduates to District 117.
The group is composed of representatives from the six school districts, as well as representatives from Lindenhurst, Lake Villa and Antioch and from the Lindenhurst-Lake Villa Chamber of Commerce and the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.
According to school officials, the group plans to develop a comprehensive educational plan to meet the future needs of the community. The group, supported by educational, business, civic and governmental leaders, will meet to analyze information, identify key issues and propose alternatives for addressing the growth and achieving their goals.
“The uniqueness of this group is the spirit of cooperation and sense of community that all participants bring to the discussion,” District 117 Supt. Dennis Hockney said.
Hockney said the group has been assisted by professor Paul Thurston of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
