GMS East

How did we get to GMS East?

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, CCSD 46 sent out alerts that due to predictions of a severe snowstorm, all CCSD 46 schools would be closed and students would be E-Learning on Friday, January 12.

Approximately 10 inches of snow fell on January 12.

And over the weekend, temperatures plummeted.

Over the next week, all CCSD 46 schools were closed due to damage to boilers, coils, sprinkler heads, and a myriad of other weather related issues. By Thursday, January 18, five schools were back to onsite learning. By Monday, January 22, all schools were back onsite. Except Grayslake Middle School.

The District learned on Wednesday, January 17 that due to the extent of the damage and subsequent repair and cleanup, the GMS facility would not be accessible for 4-6 weeks. Focus shifted to finding a suitable location to house 630+ students, plus staff for an extended period of time to provide education, food services, bus transportation, and technology. There were minimal options available.

However, within hours, a suitable location was found a mere 2.1 miles down the road. With numerous classrooms, food prep kitchen, parking area, and the knowledge that University Center had already hosted a middle school students from another district a few years earlier, the decision was made to focus on shifting our students’ learning community the University Center of Lake County.

After four days of planning to shift an entire middle school full of students, staff, administrators, equipment, materials, and more to an entirely new location, the week of January 22 started with an Emergency Day for students. For staff members who just learned about the situation a few days earlier, Monday morning brought a staff meeting in an unfamiliar auditorium learning how they would educate students in combined classrooms, makeshift meeting areas, and recessed corners and cubbies.

Our staff jumped in with the information they were given and the fortitude to make this plan work. Students would be arriving in a mere 24 hours.

And in one day, University Center of Lake County became GMS East.

Read through the Frequently Asked Questions and answers regarding the continuing story of Grayslake Middle School and GMS East.

Winter-related repairs keep Grayslake Middle School closed for student learning Feb 9, 2024