• July 21 Update

    We recognize that there is often sadness coupled with excitement in the reconstruction of an elementary school. 

    Monroe MemoA UCS school building is more than the facility where our students go to learn. It is a place where school communities are formed and memories are built.

    As we look to reconstruct schools, it is important to note that we are working within the foundation of our schools. It is the footprint of the buildings that we are redesigning to improve safety and further support academic achievement. 

    Our current reconstruction plans include DeKeyser Elementary for this fall, Graebner Elementary in 2026 and Havel Elementary for 2027.

    On a practical level, using the existing foundation gives us the opportunity to make the needed improvements in a single school year. It means that we can limit the relocation of school communities while the work takes place.

    We also are able to extend the impact of the bond issue through a savings of approximately a third of the building costs – or roughly $14 million. This savings is put back into our building program to meet the needs across our district. This innovative approach shows how we are meeting our community’s expectations that resources effectively support students and staff.

    At a larger level, keeping this foundation in place is also symbolic of the legacy of these schools. The heart of the school that has supported these communities for the past 50 or more years – the outside brick and mortar, roof and steel – remains in place.

    This bond issue gives us the ability to get started on a long-range plan for every elementary school in our district.  We will be able to share more planning during the course of this school year.

    But even as we update our schools and look to the future, we recognize that Utica Community Schools is a place where history and legacy matter. Through reconstruction, we are making sure that the foundation which supported generations of students will stand strong for another 50 plus years. 

    Graebner Reconstruction

    The current reconstruction at Graebner Elementary