District says two classrooms at Olympia Brown will be repaired after July crash; insurance deductible noted

Racine Unified School District officials told the school board that two classrooms at Olympia Brown were damaged in a July 29 crash and will be repaired with work expected to continue through November 2025. The district’s presenter said the crash displaced two classrooms; students and staff have been relocated to temporary spaces, and the district has provided temporary furniture, instructional materials and technology while working with its insurance provider to document repairs. District staff provided an estimated repair cost of approximately $366,058 and said the district’s insurance has a $100,000 deductible. The staff member said a construction partner already on site for the Olympia Brown K–8 expansion, VJS Construction, supplied a rough order of magnitude and cost breakdown and will perform work; district officials noted long lead times for masonry, lighting and glazing that could extend some work past November. Board members asked how much insurance would cover and whether the repairs would be put through a normal bidding process. The presenter said final cost estimates and a cost breakdown were just received and that the district has project dollars in the Olympia Brown referendum scope, including about $1,320,000 in savings on that project; district staff said they were exploring whether savings could be used now and replenished later, and that more details would be provided at a future meeting. No formal board action on the repairs was recorded during the meeting; the district described the situation as an active repair and insurance‑coverage effort and said more information will come later.