ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Elementary School District 231 Board of Education approved an application for a $50,000 matching grant through the Illinois State Board of Education’s FY27 School Maintenance Grant program. The funding would help pay for HVAC improvements at Rochelle Middle School, including replacement of heaters serving the North Gym. One of the heaters is not working, while the other is being kept operational. Kevin Dale, Business Manager for Rochelle Elementary School District 231, said the district is already working to secure contractors for the project, which could begin next summer.
“So if we have a $100,000 project, the state will provide $50,000, we’ll provide the other $50,000,” Dale said. “So we felt this was a good thing to help offset some of that cost and put about $50,000 of that towards that project to try and do the renovations on the HVAC and fix that health and life safety issue.”
The grant application must still receive state approval. Dale said the district has applied for the maintenance grant in previous years and has generally received funding for its proposed projects.
