Navy Base Facility Targeted for Charter School

A building on the Naval Station Great Lakes military base that housed corpsmen training programs until July 2011 could become home to a K-8 charter school, according to the North Chicago School District 187, which is seeking proposals from charter operators.

The district’s request for proposals (RFP) anticipates a school for 500 students will open in August 2012 and states that lease agreement discussions are under way for use of  the 120,000 square foot facility. The charter school might be the building’s only occupant, or the space might be shared with another district school or district administration, according to the RFP.

Built in the late 1970s, the facility was used to train about 4,500 corpsmen a year, with about 1,400 moving through the program at a time, according to base Public Affairs Officer John L. Sheppard. The training program has been consolidated with other military medical aide training in San Antonio, Texas.

Naval Station Great Lakes still operates the Navy’s only boot camp for sailor recruits as well as apprentice training programs. The base has a stable population of about 10,000 workers, including officers, enlisted personnel, military contractors and civilians, according to Sheppard. Recruits, trainees and other transients raise the population to about 20,000.

Space for recreation is available in the area surrounding the facility. Empty barracks are located adjacent to the school facility.

Charter schools on military bases was the focus of the January 2011 National Charter School Resource Center newsletter.