Waubonsie Valley High School

Story

Waubonsie Valley High School, or WVHS, is a public four-year high school at the corner of Ogden Avenue and Eola Road in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Other high schools in Indian Prairie School District 204 are Neuqua Valley High School, Metea Valley High School, and Indian Plains Alternative High School.HistoryIndian Prairie Community Unit School District #204 was formed in the fall of 1972. In December 1972 a referendum was passed to build and equip a high school at a projected cost of $8.2 million. A separate issue also passed to add a swimming pool. Construction on Waubonsie Valley High School began in the spring of 1973. Tom Gibbs was hired as the first Principal. Since his tenure, Gary Elmen, Marilyn Weaver, Jim Schmid, Kristine Marchiando, and Jason Stipp have served as Principal.In September 1975, Waubonsie Valley opened its doors for its first school year. 293 Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors attended the new high school. In addition, 7th and 8th graders were housed in the building until Hill Junior High opened in the Fall of 1981. Construction delays prevented students from using the gym until May 1976 and the pool until October 1976.The school was designed as an open campus, with very few walls to separate classes. This quickly gave way to temporary room dividers and eventually, more permanent walls. Major construction projects over the years added three classroom wings, a field house and an auditorium, leaving just a few clues as to the original design of the building. The school was considered futuristic with a swimming pool, greenhouse, and planetarium.