By Erin Leyden, Director of Development and Marketing

CHICAGO, IL – September 24, 2025 – Today, North Park Elementary School (NPES) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the official opening of the NPES Annex and the newly named Nielsen Family Drama and Choral Studio. The celebration was attended by NPES Board Trustees, committee members, faculty and staff, representatives from the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Nielsen family.

The new Annex, purchased in spring 2024, previously housed a family-owned State Farm agency. Renovations were completed last month, and the building is now home to:

• The Nielsen Family Drama & Choral Studio
• NPES business and development offices
• A board room and faculty meeting space
• Drama department storage
• Additional staff parking

These updates also enabled NPES to repurpose spaces in its main building, creating a green room recording studio, a 1:1 and small-group tutoring space, and a faculty quiet space. Together, these improvements expand teaching and learning opportunities for every NPES student.

NPES extends heartfelt gratitude to the Faith and Peter Nielsen Family for their generous support in creating the drama and choral studio, and to Christina Pecce of the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce for helping secure a Ravenswood Façade Grant that refreshed the Annex exterior.

“This new space strengthens our commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for student growth and self-expression,” said Ravi Kalhan, Chair of the NPES Board of Trustees. “We are incredibly grateful to our donors, faculty, and community partners who made it possible.”