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Racine Unified board approves construction GMPs, vendor contracts and schedule changes; tables graduation-item discussion
Summary
At its April 28 meeting the Racine Unified School District Board approved multiple construction guaranteed-maximum prices, vendor contracts and the 2025–26 school-year start/end times, and voted to table a proposed change to graduation requirements on economics/personal finance.
The Racine Unified School District Board of Education on April 28 approved a series of contracts and project budgets, including guaranteed maximum prices (GMPs) for two school construction projects, a procurement award for architectural-engineering services, and vendor contracts for benefits, transportation and cybersecurity. The board also approved the district's start and end times for the 2025'1026 school year and voted to table action on a proposed adjustment to high-school graduation requirements (item I on the superintendent consent agenda).
The most expensive approved contract was a guaranteed maximum price for Case High School construction: the board approved a GMP of $28,736,931 and a total project budget of $36,008,050. The board approved a separate GMP for Wadewitz Elementary (listed in presentation materials and discussion as the Wadewitz project) with a GMP of $19,025,149 and a total project budget of $23,548,953. The board awarded RFP No. 25-007R for architectural and engineering services at Gilmore Fine Arts K-8 to Bloom Companies LLC for $323,460.
Administration also secured board approval for a vendor change to short- and long-term disability coverage (contracting with National Insurance Services/Madison National Life as presented), a one-year extension of the district's transportation contract that includes a 5.5% rate increase and approval of $140,000 to purchase 14 new school buses, and the purchase of a SentinelOne cybersecurity solution through CESA 7 at an annual cost of $120,435. The board approved all of those items by recorded votes, with the roll-call tallies shown below.
Why it matters: The votes authorize multi-million-dollar construction work and recurring vendor costs that will affect facilities, safety and operations across the district. The decision to table the graduation-requirements change means the board will revisit whether and how personal financial literacy and economics are required for future graduating classes.
Votes at a glance (motions, movers/seconds, vote results):
- Approve agenda (motion to approve agenda as submitted). Mover: Miss Barbian; second: Mister O'Connell. Vote: Barbian (yes), Bellagio (yes), Coe (yes), Harris (yes), O'Connell (yes), Villar (yes), Walker Cleveland (yes). Tally: 7 yes. Outcome: approved.
- Award RFP No. 25-007R to Bloom Companies LLC for architectural/engineering services at Gilmore Fine Arts K-8 for $323,460. Mover: Miss Barbian; second: Mister O'Connell. Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve Riley Construction guaranteed maximum price (Wadewitz Elementary) GMP $19,025,149; total project budget $23,548,953. Mover: Miss Barbian; second: (recorded second). Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve VJS/BJS construction guaranteed maximum price for Case High School GMP $28,736,931; total project budget $36,008,050. Mover: Miss Barbian; second: (recorded second). Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve 2025'1026 school-year start and end times as presented. Mover: Miss Barbian; second: Miss Folar. Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve short- and long-term disability contract with National Insurance Services / Madison National Life as presented. Mover: (recorded). Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve one-year extension of the district transportation contract with a 5.5% rate increase for 2025'1026 and district expenditure of $140,000 for 14 new school buses. Mover: Miss Barbian; second: Miss Harris. Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve acquisition of SentinelOne cybersecurity solution via CESA 7 at an annual cost of $120,435 (three-year term as presented). Mover: Miss Barbian; second: (recorded second). Vote: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: approved.
- Approve board consent and the superintendent consent agenda items, with item I (graduation requirements revising economics/personal finance placement) separated for separate action. The board approved the superintendent consent agenda without item I and then voted to table item I for a later meeting. Motion to table item I: mover Mister O'Connell; second Miss Walker Cleveland. Vote to table: unanimous (7 yes). Outcome: tabled.
Meeting note: Unless otherwise noted, votes reported were roll-call votes recorded during the meeting; the official minutes and posted roll-call record on the district's website are the source of final vote tallies and ordinance text (if applicable).
