Myth

Fact

Hubble Middle School does not need to be moved or rebuilt

• The 81 year-old school has never been renovated to the same standard as other District 200 schools.
• The school’s aging infrastructure and its location on a flood plain require District 200 to make regular, costly maintenance.
• Due to its age and size, it is the most expensive school in the District to operate and maintain.

The proposed Hubble Middle School site is not environmentally safe

• Results of three environmental tests at the proposed site have determined it to be completely safe.
• A phase-two study on soil, water and air samples determined the land to be ‘pristine.’
• The District would never take any action that would put the health or safety of students or staff at risk.

District 200 has not conducted adequate environmental testing on the proposed Hubble Middle School site

• District 200 has exceeded all government testing requirements. 
• To further ensure the site is safe, District 200 hired an environmental firm to conduct a risk assessment of the proposed site.
• The owner of the property applied to enter the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Site Remediation Program to secure a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter to conclude the property is essentially free of environmental contaminants.
• If any reports conclude that the proposed site is unsafe, the District will immediately abandon its plans and will seek alternatives. 

The BP Naperville Campus is “at risk” for a terrorist incident

• The BP campus is not and never has been identified as an “at risk” facility for a terrorist incident, according to the DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 
• The area surrounding the proposed site is at no higher risk than any other site within the County or District 200.

Relocating and rebuilding Hubble Middle School is going to cost taxpayers more money

• Building a new school on another site is the least expensive option.  (New school on another site based on a program driven design = $43 million;  Cost of renovating Hubble based on a program driven design is under development.)
• Over a period of 20 years, the current Hubble Middle School property could potentially generate $40-$50 million in property taxes and approximately $7-$10 million in sales tax revenue.
• Based on conservative estimates, District 200’s share of the additional property taxes would be $16 to $20 million over the same 20 year period.

BP’s help is needed to make the proposed property a viable school site.

• District 200 does not need BP land directly south of the proposed school site for emergency access or storm water drainage.
• Confirmed options for emergency access exist on all sides of the property.
• Storm water drainage (i.e.detention pond) can be placed on the proposed school site.

Restrictions placed on a recent property purchase may indicate contaminated land near the proposed school site.

• BP, previous owners of the 26-acre parcel, say there is no evidence of contamination on the site, now owned by the DuPage County Forest Preserve.
• A Phase I environmental study of the property at the northeast corner of Herrick and Warrenville Roads was authorized by the Forest Preserve and found no potential for environmrntal impact.
• BP has never used the land and wants it to remain open space to prevent additional traffic on Warrenville Road.
• Groundwater from the forest preserve property migrates south; the proposed school site is west of the forest preserve property.

Property values in Wheaton will drop if the school moves to Warrenville

• Property values will not be affected. 
• Regardless of where students are assigned within District 200, the quality of the programs is the same.

The new school will displace students within the existing Hubble Middle School boundary lines

• More than half of the students who attend Hubble Middle School live closer to the proposed site than its current location.
• A “boundary task force” will research the issue and recommend the most appropriate boundary lines to meet the needs of students and parents.
• Only four students walk to Hubble; the remaining students are bused.

The School Board is “dragging its feet” on the Hubble Middle School issue

• The School Board has worked as quickly as possible to study all relevant issues, hear public opinion and analyze all options.
• Inaccurate claims made by those who oppose the proposal have caused delays.
• The longer the opposition delays the process, the more money District 200 will need to invest in Hubble Middle School.