Winneconne Community School District: Referendum
Project Updates
Referendum Approved—Thank You!
Thank you
for your support! On April 4, 2023, voters in the Winneconne Community School
District supported the District’s referendum question, allowing the District to
invest $28,300,000 to address:
·
Renovations at Winneconne Middle School (WMS) to revitalize and
add another 50 years of life to the building.
·
Infrastructure improvements for aging building systems at WMS.
·
Replacement and reconfiguration of the high school parking lot to
improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
This successful referendum is the next step in the District’s
Journey to the Future, which began back in 2016 with the community-supported
$12.5M investment in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
addition and renovation, and the construction of the Winneconne Community Arts
Center (WCAC). These projects positively impacted the Winneconne students and
community.
The Journey to the Future took a small detour when voters did not
support a $47.8M referendum; the Winneconne Community School Board and
administration acknowledged and respected this decision and gathered community
feedback through a School Perceptions survey to determine how to move
forward.
A majority of all resident respondents supported renovating the
Winneconne Middle School to be “like new” within its existing footprint for
$28.3 million. This addresses the most immediate infrastructure and learning
needs at the Middle School. The community spoke, the district listened, and
Chapter 2 of our Journey to the Future was supported by our Winneconne community
residents.
The Winneconne Community School District staff, administration,
and Board of Education extend sincere appreciation to the community for their
support, and for exercising their right to vote. This referendum will address
the most immediate needs of the district. We thank
you for the opportunity to provide appropriate spaces for our students.
Referendum Recap
The District asked
voters to authorize $28.3 million for a facility improvement project that will
address the most immediate needs of Winneconne’s facilities master plan:
- Renovations at Winneconne Middle
School to revitalize and add another 50 years of life to the building
- Replace panel wall system with
permanent walls to create better building flow and efficiency
- Renovate kitchen, commons, and
library
- Transition computer labs into
large-group collaboration rooms
- Replace finishes which have
exceeded their useful life
- Improve the learning environment
for all students in grades 6-8
- Infrastructure Improvements for
aging building systems at the middle school
- Upgrade all building systems
(HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire alarm, and bell)
- Replace flooring, ceilings, and
doors (as needed)
- Address Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) non-compliance
- Replacement and reconfiguration of
the high school parking lot to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety
Preliminary Construction Timeline
Design Phases
Following the approval
of the referendum question, the architectural design process began for all
District-wide projects. The District is working with their design (Plunkett Raysich Architects)
and construction (Miron) partners to refine and advance the scope and manage
the budget. The design process includes three distinct phases to advance
preliminary concepts developed prior to the referendum.
·
Schematic
Design (SD) – This phase is
the first step in the design process and includes District input to drive design and develop drawings that
provide definition to interior and exterior functions, space requirements,
adjacencies, and overall design intent. We have been utilizing User
Groups consisting of staff to provide an opportunity for staff to think
“big picture” about the potential renovations to learning spaces, drive design,
and provide feedback.
·
Design
Development (DD)– Once the building footprint has been confirmed and the
team has a plan for interior space definition, we will transition into design
development. During the DD phase, design concepts and advanced with precise
details including structural design, specific mechanical, electrical, plumbing
and fire protection systems, and cabinetry, fixtures, and material selections
are finalized.
·
Construction Documents (CD)– In the final phase of the design
process, final drawings and specifications used to construct the building, will
be produced. All building components and defined in detail. These documents are
used in the competitive bid process.
Design and Construction Updates
Updates on the community-approved referendum projects will
be shared throughout the design and construction process. Please visit this
page regularly to stay up to date on these important projects.
Project Updates will be shared quarterly, beginning this fall.
For More Information: