Schools
Pro-Schools Referenda Campaign Launching Soon
Civic, business leaders group to spend $50,000 to $60,000 prior to April 5 election.
A promotional campaign supporting the upcoming Racine Unified School District referenda launches next week.
The Committee for Building Student Success will purchase radio and direct mail advertising and host public events between now and the April 5 election, said John Crimmings, the group’s chairman.
“This has been spearheaded by parents and other people in the community advocating for education,” he said Friday.
Find out what's happening in Caledoniawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Crimmings, who is vice president and general sales manager at First Weber Group Realtors in Racine, was a member of the Reinvesting Committee, a group of community and school district volunteers, who have met since the fall of 2009 to develop plans for making physical improvements to RUSD schools.
The committee has raised money from private donors to pay for the advertising and promotional materials. Liz Coyle, the group’s communications consultant, estimated that the campaign would run $50,000 to $60,000.
Find out what's happening in Caledoniawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The April 5 ballot has three referendum questions that total $128.5 million. Voters will be asked to approve an $83.5 million bond issue to build five new elementary schools and construct additions to five others; $35 million in additional spending to pay for additional teachers and to continue existing educational programs, and adding $1 million per year annually to the RUSD general fund balance for 10 years.
Two former RUSD School Board members are involved with the committee. David Isaacson, a Board member from 2000 through 2006, is the group’s treasurer. Bill Schalk, a 1997-2006 Board member, is also a member, according to a news release.
Other committee members are: Georgia Herrera, who is its secretary; DeAnn Possehl, University of Wisconsin-Parkside director of enrollment management; Joseph Papenfuss, Racine Area Retired Educators Association; Mary Catherine Cashion, AAUW Education Chair; Tom Reiherzer, Building Alliance Marketing Director; Russ Weyers, President and CEO, Johnson Financial Group; Debbie Weyers, parent; Jim Eastman, president, Merchants Moving & Storage Company; Nancy Holmlund and Sally Orth.
