Olympia Brown and Schulte Schools Kick Off the New School Year with Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies

The Racine Unified School District (RUSD) marked an exciting milestone this August with the grand openings of two schools in two days—a celebration of both community vision and years of planning and construction. VJS was proud to serve as the District’s building partner, helping bring these transformative projects to life.

Olympia Brown: Expanding Opportunities for Students

On August 26, Olympia Brown School held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion of its existing facility into a full K-8 school. The addition includes a brand-new Middle School wing with classrooms for grades 6–8, a new gymnasium, expanded cafeteria and kitchen, and a three-section classroom addition on the west side of the building.

These improvements will not only allow for smaller class sizes and more focused learning environments but also ensure families can stay rooted in the community and culture they value. Renovations to the existing building included updated restrooms, common spaces, corridors, the teacher’s lounge, as well as an expanded bus loop and visitor parking—creating a campus designed for both growth and comfort.

Schulte School: Building a Future-Ready K-8 Campus

Just one day later, on August 27, RUSD hosted a ribbon cutting at the new Schulte School, now a K-8 campus. At 153,000 square feet, the facility can accommodate nearly 400 students and is designed to elevate learning opportunities across grade levels.

Highlights of the new school include:

• A larger gymnasium

• A makerspace connected to the library

• CTE labs

• Dedicated art and music classrooms

• Sustainable features such as solar-ready roofs, abundant natural daylight, native landscaping, and on-site water retention strategies

  
  

Construction Challenges and Solutions

Bringing Schulte’s vision to life was not without its challenges. The site presented unsuitable soils in significant volumes—impacting more than half of the wall and column footings. To address this, our team performed extensive over-excavation, removal of unsuitable soils, and import of lean mix concrete before foundations could be poured. In total, nearly 4,500 cubic yards of lean mix were placed.

While unsuitable soils are not uncommon in construction, the scale of remediation required at Schulte was unique. To manage this effectively, VJS engaged in structured planning and transparent communication with project stakeholders. We tracked excavation progress, materials, and costs daily, providing weekly summaries to ensure real-time budget oversight. As a result, despite these unforeseen conditions, the project remained on schedule and within the original construction budget, with no contract increases.

Lasting Impact for RUSD

Both projects are part of RUSD’s Long-Range Facilities Master Plan, made possible by the district’s 2020 referendum. These investments reflect a three-pronged commitment: to advance student achievement through strong academics, resources aligned with the district’s vision, and excellent learning environments.

We are honored to have been the district’s building partner, supporting their vision and delivering facilities that will positively impact students, families, and faculty for years to come.