Voters to decide if Fairview Heights school district gets new $75 million school
Voters in school District 105 will decide this spring whether to authorize $75.1 million in bonds to build a new, unified school, replacing Pontiac Junior High and William Holliday Elementary—two aging buildings district officials say have safety and infrastructure problems.
If approved in the March 17 primary election, the bond issuance would pay for a new school in Fairview Heights that is ADA-compliant and includes secure entrances and modern instructional spaces such as science labs, according to the referendum language.
Superintendent Brian Arteberry said he expects that, if approved, the bond issuance would impact property taxes payable next year. The estimated increase would raise the annual tax bill for a home valued at $200,000 by approximately $855—or about $18 per week—according to the district’s most recent estimates.
Pontiac Junior High is nearly 50 years old, and William Holliday Elementary is more than 65 years old. Both buildings have undergone multiple additions. Arteberry said their electrical, plumbing, ventilation, roofing, and accessibility features are aging — many of which are considered Health/Life Safety violations that the district is required by the state to fix.
The schools also face crowded classrooms and cafeterias, which has forced some elementary students to learn in hallways, according to the district’s website. The facilities do not meet current safety standards for entry points and fire sprinklers, Arteberry said.
In the past, the district addressed these issues individually with “short-term fixes,” Arteberry said, but that is no longer practical.
“Addressing these issues separately would require costly, repeated construction projects over several years,” Arteberry said. “(Building a new, combined school) was identified as the most cost-effective, long-term solution because it allows required infrastructure repairs, safety improvements and space needs to be addressed together, (and) limits repeated spending on aging systems while improving the learning environment for every PWH student now and for generations to come.”
The path to the referendum began years ago and included facility assessments, cost estimates and community input. Most recently, the district and a team of local volunteers launched the “Achieving New Heights” community engagement campaign, which featured building tours, workshops, virtual and door-to-door outreach, and surveys.
The district and community evaluated multiple options, ranging from addressing only Health/Life Safety issues to renovations and new construction. Arteberry said the process revealed that building one new, unified school was the only solution that addressed all the problems with the aging buildings.
Over the past several years, District 105 has maintained one of the lowest, if not the lowest, tax rates among St. Clair County elementary schools. Arteberry said this is a point of pride and is possible because the district only collects what is necessary from taxpayers.
“I think it’s just a reflection of our dedication to being good stewards of taxpayer funds,” Arteberry said. The referendum requires a simple majority to pass.
The district plans additional open houses, with dates to be announced on social media, Arteberry said.
The referendum question is labeled as “Proposition to issue school building bonds” on the Spring 2026 ballot. It reads as follows:
“Shall the Board of Education of Pontiac-William Holliday School District Number 105, St. Clair County, Illinois, build and equip a new school building with secured entryways, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, classrooms, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) labs and other instructional spaces, cafeteria, gymnasium, library/media center and other facilities, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and technology infrastructure and equipment to replace the two existing buildings, improve the site thereof and issue its bonds to the amount of $75.1 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?”
This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 5:00 AM.