NORMAL - The Unit 5 school board on Wednesday celebrated the major renovations of three schools done over the summer.

The panel also approved amendments to an agreement for its first charter school.

In a further development, the board also heard the district's enrollment continues to grow.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, announced that Glenn Elementary School received a $25,000 grant for school enhancements, including its new playground. Members of the PTO, which lead the successful fundraising effort, showed the new playground to visitors.

The playground's official ribbon cutting is set for 2 p.m. Friday.

Glenn, Oakdale and Towanda elementary schools were the first three buildings to undergo major renovations as part of the district's $96.7 million construction program approved by voters in the spring.

Suzanne Fitzgerald, executive director of the YouthBuild McLean County program, reported to the board about the new charter school YouthBuild has opened through Unit 5. The new school opened 20 seats for Unit 5 residents seeking high school diplomas.

"We received 155 applications by noon today," she said.

Lottery for 20 Unit 5 seats

A lottery will be held for the 20 spots for Unit 5 students on Wednesday.

She said 70 students had to be turned away because they already held diplomas or general equivalency diplomas.

Seventy students will attend various YouthBuild programs in the Twin Cities that starts next week.

John Pye, Unit 5 assistant superintendent of human resources, said six teaching aides were added to the staff to meet the growing enrollment in the district. The average class size is 23 students this year, up one from last year, he said.

His presentation showed that almost 12,800 students enrolled in the district, which is up from 12,400 last year.

He predicted the enrollment will be higher when final numbers are tallied at the end of September.