MWRD celebrates completion of Burnham Elementary School green schoolyard

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A new schoolyard at Burnham Elementary School will give students more room to play while helping protect the surrounding community from flooding.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) joined Burnham Elementary School Superintendent Stephen Geraci, and the Board of Education of School District 154.5 on November 9 to celebrate the completion of the MWRD's first suburban green schoolyard. Located at 13945 S. Green Bay Ave. in Burnham, Burnham Elementary currently serves approximately 130 students. The renovated schoolyard provides students with new recreational amenities while incorporating green infrastructure designed to capture and store nearly 253,820 gallons of stormwater during rain events. That is enough water to fill approximately 6,000 bathtubs.

Building on more than a decade of successful schoolyard transformations in Chicago through the Space to Grow™ program, the MWRD launched its suburban green schoolyard pilot initiative to bring similar benefits to suburban communities. The project combines a new turf field, running track, playground, basketball and multi-use sports courts, and native plants with an infiltration trench and permeable surfaces that help manage stormwater. By allowing rainwater to soak into the ground and be stored rather than immediately flowing into the sewer system, these improvements help reduce flooding risks for the school and surrounding neighborhood.

"Green schoolyards demonstrate how we can invest in our communities while providing meaningful benefits for both people and the environment," MWRD President Kari K. Steele said. "At Burnham Elementary, students now have a beautiful new place to play and learn, while green infrastructure beneath and around the schoolyard helps capture stormwater and reduce the risk of flooding. We are proud to partner with the school district and village of Burnham on this milestone project, and we look forward to bringing similar opportunities to more suburban communities."

Construction began in late 2025, enhancing the schoolyard into a sustainable outdoor space that combines recreational opportunities with stormwater management at the school where 130 students currently attend.

"Providing our students with a safe, welcoming and engaging outdoor space is an investment in their education and well-being," Geraci said. "This new schoolyard gives students more opportunities to play, exercise and connect with nature, while creating a lasting benefit for our entire community through improved stormwater management. We are grateful to the MWRD and village of Burnham for helping make this vision a reality for our students and families."

The MWRD is developing plans for additional suburban green schoolyard pilot projects at Graves Elementary and Heritage Middle Schools, which share a campus in Summit School District 104; Morton East High School in Morton High School District 201 in Cicero; and Leyden East High School in Leyden High School District 212 in Franklin Park.

The MWRD continues to pursue partnerships to help fund and deliver these projects, with the goal of reducing the financial burden on school districts. School districts remain responsible for costs associated with amenities unrelated to stormwater management, while the Board of Education of School District 154.5 will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Burnham schoolyard. Through its green infrastructure investments and community partnerships, the MWRD continues to advance stormwater management solutions that help protect homes and neighborhoods while creating healthier, more sustainable spaces for students and residents.