MMSD shows 95% design, sustainability plans and schedule for phase‑1 referendum schools; finance office previews tax impact

Madison Metropolitan School District presented near‑final designs and schedules for the first phase of its 2024 referendum projects and outlined the expected construction timeline and budget implications.

Senior executive director Scott Chiock told the board the district has reached roughly 95% completion of the design scheme for Phase 1 and is finishing design development. Architects and construction managers showed plans for combined campus buildings (Sherman/Shabazz and Blackhawk/Gompers) that keep separate school identities while sharing community rooms, gyms configured for performances, small‑group “colab” rooms and accessible playgrounds. Scott said the design emphasizes sustainability features, including geothermal heating and cooling and roof areas planned for photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Design and capacities

- Sherman/Shabazz: presenters described an arrangement where Shabazz (the smaller program) occupies a defined portion of a shared building and Sherman is larger; Shabazz operational classroom capacity was described at about 160 students on its side of the building, while Sherman’s core capacity was shown around 504 students in the plans. Designers said the building includes dedicated community space (restroom, shower, small office and laundry), dedicated performing‑arts/commons areas and accessible circulation between entries. - Blackhawk/Gompers: the plan shows Gompers Elementary at one level and Blackhawk Middle entering at grade on the south side; designers said Gompers’ classrooms are primarily one‑story while Blackhawk’s programed middle‑school spaces are larger, with combined gym and community room hubs. Blackhawk/Gompers plans include additions of 4K capacity and multiple playgrounds sized by age group.

Sustainability and safety features

Architects said the buildings are designed for long service lives, with low‑carbon concrete where feasible, PV panels and geothermal systems. The team said buildings are all‑electric (no natural gas) and will include envelope commissioning and other measures intended to lower operational energy. Designers also noted layered entry and circulation controls so community events can be held without opening the entire school and said retention/management ponds will be dry most of the time and will include natural barriers to limit unsupervised access.

Schedule, procurement and construction management

Construction managers said the district will stagger bid packages and seek broad subcontractor participation; they plan to begin construction mobilization in February 2026 with targeted turnover to the district in 2027 and an official groundbreaking event planned for March 20, 2026. Teams described active coordination plans with school administrators for safe site utilization during construction, tree protection and neighborhood communications (door hangers, multilingual materials and public sessions). The district also scheduled community input sessions at each site the week after the meeting.

Finance preview and tax impact

District finance staff gave preliminary budget and revenue figures tied to the referendum and the district’s broader 2025–26 budget. Key figures presented by the finance director included a Fund 10 (operating) run at roughly $523,100,000 (revenues equal expenditures for the preliminary publication), an unassigned fund balance for 2024–25 of about $70,000,000 (roughly 14% of expenditures), and a projected $507,000,000 in referendum‑related debt reflected in levy planning. The director said district enrollment certification submitted to the state (the third‑Friday count) produced 25,557 revenue‑limit FTE for the 2025–26 budget — about 110 FTE below the previous comparable submission. He reported a preliminary average tax bill impact that, before state credits, equated to about a 16% increase or roughly $676 on an average tax bill; after the state School Levy Tax Credit is applied, the net effect seen by taxpayers was explained as materially lower.

What did and did not change

No formal procurement awards or bond sales were made at the meeting. The presentation showed designs near completion and a construction schedule that depends on final bids and continued coordination with City of Madison planning and permitting. The finance numbers are provisional and the director said they will be recomputed when DPI returns final membership reports.

Ending

District staff invited the public to two on‑site feedback sessions (dates announced for the week after the meeting) and said more detailed budget numbers would be posted after state enrollment data are finalized. District leaders emphasized the projects’ aims to expand capacity, improve sustainability and create community‑facing spaces in the new schools.