Old Kroger now Camelot Therapeutic Day School

March 03, 2009
By Phil Angelo - Daily Journal


Camelot Theraputic Day School, the area's new specialized school for children with autism and social and emotional disabillites, is making a long-term commitment to stay in the community.

Principal Rodger Jones said Camelot has signed a 10 year lease agreement to move into the now empty site of the old Bourbonnais Kroger building, 650 Convent St.  The school expects to be in the new facility by August.  Owner Greg Yates said Camelot will lease 18,700 square feet of the facility, roughly half of the now vacant building, which will be turned into 10 classrooms.  The parking ara will also be overhauled, pulling up some of the asphault and putting down grass, including a playground.  Yates said the renovation of the site will cost $1.5 million.

"Obviously, what we want to do is to get away from the big-box look," he said.  Yates said the August goal is achievable, but it will take a lot of cooperation between builders and village planning staff.  "The building is going to have a whole new appearance," Jones said, "and it will be an excellent facility for our staff and students."

Bourbonnais Mayor Paul Schore confirmed the agreement and praised Jeff Bennett of Bennett Commercial and owner Yates for working hard to make the plan a reality.  "It's nice to see them (Camelot) come back to their first site choice."  Schore said.  "This will be an interesting project.  Anytime you take an older, empty building, and transform it - that's a plus for the community."  Bennett said the village and its Planning Commission deserve credit fro having the vision to see the building as something other than a retail use.  "It's important," Bennett said, "to have it look and feel like a school."  He added that the project and the added hiring it will bring comea t a good time for the community.

Kroger moved to its present location on Armour Road in November, 2007.  For teh current school year, Camelot had been temporarily housed in the First Church of the Nazarene, 100 N. Entrance Ave, Kankakee.  Jones said Camelot now has 30 students and a staff of 28.  Jones said the new facility will allow them to expand, possibly reaching 100 students in years ahead.  He is already looking to hire an additional five to seven teachers for next year.

Camelot students are the embodiment of educational law that requires every student to receive a free and appropriate education, no matter what challenges the student faces.  The state reimburses most of the cost, as much as $74,000 for a child who may have multiple disabilities.  The sate also monitors the school's costs and budget.  In turn, the school provides intensive therapy, with a ratio of one full-time adult staff member for each child.