MMSD staff present schematic progress on referendum schools, highlight growth, community input and tariff risk

Scott, a district project lead, told the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Operations Work Group on April 21 that the referendum program is on schedule through schematic design and that staff have begun a 50% schematic-design review for Phase 1 schools. He said design work is incorporating curriculum needs and community use of school spaces, and that construction documents will be refined with price checkpoints as designs advance.

The district emphasized community engagement as a major design input. Scott and other staff described public sessions, door‑to‑door outreach around Sherman Middle School and Shabazz High School, student poster presentations at Seneca (referred to as “Senate” in materials) and hands‑on workshops at Sherman and Shabazz. Scott said students asked for flexible learning spaces, more daylight, privacy and inclusive design for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. “They brought some amazing things up about folks that are deaf and hard of hearing. How do we have visual things and on lights?” he told the group.

Cindy, a district staff member leading enrollment and program work, said…