Image of tentative site plan

Submitted by District 52 referendum to build a new LGS

The mission at Washington District 52 is that “Together, We build relationships, learners, and leaders”. D52 believes that students learn best in an environment where they feel safe, accepted, and empowered. At the same time, the district believes in providing facilities consistent with their mission and with student and community needs. In order to carry out the mission and the values held in D52, the district finds it essential to provide facilities consistent with the mission and community needs while also creating an environment conducive to the changing needs of students and staff. 

In order to carry out the district’s goals, there is a need to address the state of the current Lincoln Grade School. This is why the district is proposing a referendum on the April ballot. 

The planning for this project started in early 2019 with a Lincoln Grade School replacement study. More recently, the plans continued to be updated and a decision was made to build the new Lincoln Grade School on the same campus as Washington Middle School. If the district is able to move forward with the construction, there are tentative plans for the Washington Park District to take over the current LGS building, so the building can remain an important part of our community. 

If the referendum is successful, the New Lincoln Grade School would open in August of 2025. 

A big question from the community revolves around the impact on tax rates. District 52 currently has the lowest tax rate of all the K-8 districts in Tazewell County at 2.97%. The passing of a referendum would increase the district’s tax rate by 0.66 to 3.63%, which will put the district near the middle of all districts in the county. If the referendum passes, the average household in Washington would see an increase of $33 per month in the tax bill. 

Early Voting begins February 23 in Pekin with a vote by mail option. Early voting will also take place at the Washington Township building on March 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26. Consolidated elections will take place April 4.

The district is hosting two Community Nights at Lincoln Grade School, which will be held at 5:30PM on February 23 and March 16. It is encouraged to attend one of these events to learn more about the proposed project and plans.

More information can be found at www.d52schools.com under “D52 Referendum”. The district also posts regular updates on the Washington Grade School District #52 Facebook page.