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Waukegan CUSD 60 selects new website and messaging vendor, plans July 2026 rollout
Summary
District leaders told the board they selected Apogee (vendor name appears variably in packet) to replace SchoolMessenger and Remind with a unified website, mobile app and mass-communication system; administrators said annual costs are similar and GoLive is planned for July 1, 2026.
Waukegan CUSD 60 announced plans to move to a single vendor for its website and districtwide messaging system, a change administrators said will replace SchoolMessenger and Remind and offer a more user-friendly web and mobile experience.
Doctor Cesario, presenting the information items to the board, said the district’s review team selected Apogee after evaluating several vendors because it offers a consolidated platform that includes website, app and mass communications. “Based on the review that they conducted with a team of folks from our district, they determined that it would be in our best interest to move to a system that had all of these pieces in one,” Doctor Cesario said.
Doctor Cuevas and Mr. Alodzakis answered board questions about cost, cybersecurity and the transition timeline. Cuevas told members the annually recurring price is “very similar” to what the district has been paying and that typical vendor price increases run three to five percent per year. Administrators said cybersecurity policies, insurance and privacy safeguards were vetted as part of procurement.
Administrators said the district will keep its existing web address (wps60.org) but redesign the site and mobile experience; they also noted features such as chatbot support and two-way messaging between teachers and families. Mr. Alodzakis said the district will run a communications and training campaign beginning in April to prepare staff and families for the planned July 1, 2026, GoLive date.
Board members pressed for details on public outreach and staff training. Miss Lindsey said she hoped the new tools would improve parent-to-parent and PTO communications; Doctor Cuevas said the system would support classroom- and school-level groups. Miss Hannah requested that staff provide a clear rollout timeline and community engagement plan; administrators said they will present more details ahead of the launch.
The change requires the district to migrate content across roughly two dozen pages and train staff on the new interface. Administrators said the migration and implementation timeline is the reason for the extended lead time before the scheduled July launch.
Next steps: administrators will bring contract documents and implementation details to the board in coming weeks for approval and for a public rollout plan.
