District 65 approves $2.09 million bid package, updates families on Foster School reopening

The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education on May 5 approved bid package No. 4 for flooring and kitchen equipment for the new Foster Elementary School and heard detailed updates on construction progress and family outreach ahead of the school’s planned opening.

Administrators said work is advancing on the building’s structural framing, underground stormwater systems and slab pours, and that the project goal remains to have Foster ready for occupancy by mid‑July 2026. “The final goal is to be in the building ready to go, all set by mid July of 2026,” said a staff presenter during the update.

Why it matters: Foster is the district’s high‑profile school-return project to the Fifth Ward. Board approval of bid package No. 4 allows purchase and installation of flooring and kitchen equipment now being priced by low bidders, while administrators said community engagement and principal selection are proceeding so families can plan their students’ transitions.

Board and staff updates The presenter showed recent photos of roof framing, cafeteria and gym structure and described current site work including installation of a second underground stormwater trap and new storm and sanitary connections to Long Ashland Street. Work this month will include trenches for underground plumbing and electrical piping and First Floor and Second Floor slab pours, the presenter said.

The construction manager’s memo reviewed by staff recommended approving the two lowest bidders for the bid group; the total contract amount for the two vendors came to $2,087,963. A board member moved to approve the bid package; the motion passed 7‑0.

On the budget, the presenter said an earlier bid group came in nearly $4 million under budget and the team used a portion of that savings to upgrade corridor and specialty‑space flooring from vinyl to higher‑grade porcelain tile and stone. The presenter said classroom floors will remain a high‑quality vinyl but hallways, the cafeteria and the atrium will be finished with the upgraded tile. Administrators also said they are budgeting conservatively for bid group No. 5 because of potential tariffs affecting playground and audiovisual equipment purchases, and that the district intends to reuse AV equipment when possible.

Furnishing and schedule The team said the furniture budget is included in the project and is being procured through cooperative bids; initial estimates for student furniture were in the “low six hundreds” (thousands), and staff said those are pre‑tariff prices that they expect will remain favorable if bid packages are approved by June. Administrators said the project still holds substantial allowances and contingencies on the hard‑cost side.

Transition planning and community outreach Separately, the district presented a “SAP 3”/Foster transition update describing community engagement and transition subcommittees. The presenter said three subcommittees are focusing on student and family belonging, equity and historical legacy, and resources and partnerships. The district said it has held 11 meetings with the foster transition committee and has scheduled three upcoming family meetings in May (one for Bessie Rhodes families, one at Fleetwood, and one Zoom session), and is planning a “future foster family” block party in June at Twiggs Park from noon to 3 p.m.

The district also said it has narrowed the principal search to a candidate who will be brought to the board on May 19 and that it has created an online tool for families to type in addresses and see whether they are inside Foster boundary lines.

Public comment and curriculum request Public commenters raised programming requests related to Foster. Terry Shepherd, a longtime resident and public commenter, urged the board to retain and expand the African‑Centered Curriculum (ACC), describing it as “a holistic education, black identity and excellence” and saying ACC students have, in some comparisons, scored equal to or better than peers districtwide. Shepherd asked that ACC be made available to future Foster students.

What’s next Construction staff said they expect to continue progressing through bid groups and that bid group No. 5 scheduling is being reviewed to mitigate tariff risk for AV purchases. The board will receive further construction, principal‑selection and community‑engagement updates at upcoming meetings.