The O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission has, among other things, worked to provide sound insulation for schools near O’Hare International Airport. Since 2004, Ridgewood has been working with the ONCC to provide this insulation to Ridgewood, as has been done for all the other schools in Norridge, Harwood Heights, and nearly every other school in the vicinity of the airport. A timeline of the events leading up to today is available. A map that shows the locations of the schools that have been insulated is below.

The schools that have received insulation are indicated by purple dots. Ridgewood is the only school not on this chart.

In an effort to secure funding for this insulation, the ONCC passed a resolution (click here) at its regular meeting on November 6, 2009. The resolution supports the goal of including Ridgewood, Elk Grove High School, and Carpenter School in Park Ridge with the necessary funding to be sound insulated. It also asks the Federal Aviation Administration to reverse its decision to remove the three schools from the program.

On December 9th, Mayor of Arlington Heights, Arlene Mulder, chair of the ONCC, and Dr. Raymond Kuper, vice-chair, will be traveling to Washington D.C. to meet with the FAA regarding this situation. We are very grateful for their support of Ridgewood. We also hope that you will consider downloading a letter to your representatives in Washington in support of Ridgewood, or simply sending one or more of the e-mails.

Points to Ponder

• Students at Ridgewood have endured airport noise from planes taking off and landing directly over their school for decades.
• The high school’s three feeder districts have all had sound insulation provided. One of those schools is TWO BLOCKS from the high school.
• One parochial school in Norridge was awarded sound insulation funds and closed very soon after.
• There are at least three parochial schools on the list of those that have received sound insulation funding that are no longer in operation.
• In 2004, Ridgewood was told by the ONCC that it was eligible for funding. In fact, it was third on the priority list using indoor classroom noise as the determining factor.
• In 2005, Ridgewood was told, because of changes in the metric used to calculate eligibility, that it no longer qualifies.
• New runways and flight patterns have INCREASED the number of flights and the amount of noise that Ridgewood experiences.
• We want to know why, when every school within a seven-mile radius of Ridgewood has received funding, including all of the schools in high school districts 207 (Maine Township) and in 212 (Leyden), the needs of the students of Norridge and Harwood Heights at Ridgewood High School are continuously ignored.
• We want to know why schools already soundproofed include schools lower on the 2004 priority list than Ridgewood.

Cheryl Flinn, Ridgewood High School business manager, talks with local officials about providing sound insulation in the school due to the noise from O'Hare airport.
(Tamara Bell/Staff Photographer)

On January 14, 2010, Business Manager Cheryl Flinn along with Superintendent Robert Lupo lead the group, which included Jim Keefer from the FAA and ONCC Treasurer Judith Dunne Bernardi, on a short tour.

Ridgewood High School business manager Cheryl Flinn talks with local federal aviation administration officials and school officials about providing sound insulation in the school due to all the noise from O'Hare Airport.
(Tamara Bell/Staff Photographer)

From a window view on the second floor facing south, Flinn pointed out the James Giles School, "which is one of the schools that already has been soundproofed through the ONCC and the FAA program."

In a building addition overlooking the football field, Flinn said this is the area the school experiences most planes on landing.

"We took a video one day and it was about every minute and a half and the noise of that lasted approximately 17 seconds on average," Flinn said.

Cheryl Flinn, Ridgewood High School business manager, talks with local officials about providing sound insulation in the school due to the noise from O'Hare airport.
(Tamara Bell/Staff Photographer)

Lupo defined the visit as a fact finding mission while FAA Spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory defined it as a site visit.

Article written by Craig A. Whitney on Thursday, January 21, 2010 for the Pioneer Press Norridge and Harwood Heights News and online at http://www.pioneerlocal.com/norridge/news/2000835,norridge-rhsfaa-012110-s1.article.

Cheryl Flinn stands and listens at an FAA meeting at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

An April 28, 2010 press release from the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission states the Federal Aviation Administration will review the eligibility of the three schools to receive federal funds for sound insulation to reduce aircraft noise disturbances within classrooms.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky at an FAA meeting at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

"ONCC previously approved Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove Village, Ridgewood High School in Norridge, and Carpenter Elementary School in Park Ridge as eligible for sound insulation in 2004, but the schools were notified by the FAA in 2009 that they did not qualify under current sound insulation criteria," the release said.

Superintendent Doctor Robert Lupo and Rep. Jan Schakowsky watch airplanes fly by Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

FAA Acting Associate Administrator for Airports Catherine Lang was invited by the ONCC to tour the three schools April 23, 2010 with area officials.

Superintendent Doctor Robert Lupo at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

It was then indicated that funding would be reinstated if the schools meet an eight-hour Equivalent Sound Level test result of 45 or higher, the minimum noise threshold for school sound insulation eligibility established by the FAA.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Judith Dunn Bernardi watch airplanes fly by Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

Rep. Jan Schakowsky toured Carpenter Elementary School and Ridgewood High School with Lang.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Judith Dunn Bernardi look at fish at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

"The education of my youngest constituents is of the utmost importance to me," Schakowsky said. "The schools were tested and recognized as needing sound insulation. To reverse course on commitments made would be extremely detrimental."

Judith Dunn Bernardi, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, and Doctor Robert Lupo watch airplanes fly by Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

ONCC Vice-Chairman Raymond Kuper said the group has consistently supported sound insulation for the three schools since 2004.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Judith Dunn Bernardi, and Principal Jennifer Kelsall watch airplanes fly by Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

"We always believed that every school on the eligibility list eventually would be protected from aircraft noise," he said. "We are hopeful that the day is very near."

Pat Rossi talks about Univents and double insulated windows as Doctor Robert Lupo, Business Manager Cheryl Flinn, Judith Dunn Bernardi, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, and others watch airplanes fly by Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

Ridgewood High School Superintendent Robert Lupo used a map to illustrate schools surrounding the high school that received FAA-backed sound insulation.

Pat Rossi talks to Rep. Jan Schakowsky at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)

Article written by Craig A. Whitney on Thursday, May 6, 2010 for the Pioneer Press Norridge and Harwood Heights News and online at http://www.pioneerlocal.com/norridge/news/2230888,norridge-soundproof-050610-s1.article.

Superintendent Doctor Robert Lupo walks with Rep. Jan Schakowsky at Ridgewood High School on April 23, 2010.
(Kevin Szaflik)