MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) held a grand reopening Friday, celebrating extensive renovations at all four of its high schools.

What You Need To Know

  • The Madison Metropolitan School District held a grand reopening Friday, celebrating extensive renovations at all four of its high schools

  • The renovations were made possible by a referendum voters passed in 2020

  • Upgrades include new athletic facilities, music wings, STEM spaces and more

  • The district hopes to build on this success with another referendum in November. That one would ask voters to approve over $600 million to cover operational expenses and to do the same revitalizations to the district's middle and elementary schools

The renovations were made possible by a referendum voters passed in 2020. 

At East High School, the city’s oldest high school, the changes were much needed, especially for band director Rob Cunningham.

“It was a much smaller room, more in the center of this music wing, and very sort of low ceilings, sort of claustrophobic, and just kind of outdated,” Cunningham said when describing the old space.

Now he has a brand-new space with high ceilings and picture windows. He said it’ll make a big difference for students this year.

“We’re competitive with our space, with anybody around,” Cunningham said. “I think when you're in a space like this, it's beautiful, you have sunlight, and the sound is better. It just makes it more enjoyable to make music here.”

Voters approved the 2020 referendum which allocated a total of $350 million over two questions for operational expenses and several capital projects.

Among those projects were the renovations at the high schools. Upgrades include new athletic facilities, music wings, STEM spaces and more.

“We've been living in it over the past four years, but now we're able to see the end product and the community is excited about it,” said TJ McCray, deputy superintendent at MMSD. “So more than anything, we're just excited about the opportunities that these spaces are going to bring for our community.”

The district hopes to build on this success with another referendum in November. That one would ask voters to approve over $600 million to cover operational expenses and to do the same revitalizations to the district's middle and elementary schools.

“It's about providing these opportunities that we are seeing that's happening here at the high schools for other areas within our district, focusing on our middle schools and some of our elementary [schools],” McCray said.

Cunningham said he’s looking forward to teaching in his new space. He hopes it gives his students a sense of belonging.

 “It makes it more accessible to our students,” he said. “They feel like, 'Hey, we're not just the school in the middle of town that gets neglected.'”

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