Parents, teachers and neighborhood activists told the City School Liaison Committee on Oct. 30 that proposed District 65 closure scenarios — and a late change that added Orrington Elementary to the list under consideration — would harm students and neighborhoods and should be halted or rethought in partnership with the city.

"You told the public that which schools were under review and which were not. Then 5 hours into the meeting, you threw out your own data, threw out your own process, and suddenly added Orrington Elementary into the mix," Samantha Schwimmer, identifying herself as a parent, said during public comment.

Why it matters: Parents said closing a neighborhood school would make daily travel more dangerous for children, increase congestion on already burdened corridors near Northwesterns stadium and undermine long-term community stability.

Safety and traffic concerns: Multiple speakers described crossings along the Ryan Field corridor as hazardous for students who would be forced to travel farther. "If Orrington closes, hundreds of children will be forced to travel further each day. Many across busy streets overburdened, by the Ryan Field corridor," Schwimmer said.

Local capacity and community investments: Commenters stressed that Orrington families have offered substantial community support and fundraising. Schwimmer cited survey figures presented to the board that she said showed "83% of our families are willing to help support a tax referendum" and "95% said they are ready to fundraise for the district." Jeff Bruni read a letter from Maryann Wexler recalling the decision to sell Noyes to the city for $1 to preserve a cultural arts center rather than a one-time sale to the highest bidder.

Broader neighborhood impact: Kingsley and Lincolnwood parents said closures would concentrate students into fewer schools, overwhelm small parking lots and drop-off zones, and change the character of walkable neighborhood schools. "If a school closes, it's almost certainly going to be Kingsley," Julia Emfinger said; she described small parking capacity at remaining schools and the traffic that would result from consolidations.

Calls for collaboration: Several commenters urged the school board and city to pursue shared solutions, including co-location of municipal services in underused school facilities, closer coordination on transportation and safety planning, and formal partnerships or consolidation discussions among districts to preserve neighborhood schools.

Responses and next steps: Board and city officials said they had heard the comments and that the mayor and city staff have offered to convene staff-level conversations. Several speakers urged voters and community organizations to remain engaged as the board considers facility decisions.

Ending: Public-comment speakers emphasized community willingness to work on funding and creative uses of space but warned against rapid sales or one-time dispositions that would remove flexibility for future needs.