School district finds $18 million, will vote on complete Stege Elementary rebuild
The West Contra Costa Unified School District is poised to approve a resolution to fully rebuild Stege Elementary School during the December 18 board meeting. The resolution would increase the project budget from $43 million to $61 million.
According to the resolution, Stege Elementary is the district’s oldest school and plays a critical role in serving a diverse student population of 245 students. The school, built in 1943, has the highest percentage of African American students in WCCUSD at 36.3 percent — and 37.6 percent Hispanic students.
Trustees emphasized equity and community involvement as central to the project’s execution.
“We will be voting on a FULL rebuild for Stege Elementary School,” said Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy, who highlighted the measure ahead of the meeting. “Thank you to the many advocates in the community that pushed us to do this for the Stege students and families.”
School district facilities staff has identified an additional $18 million in funding through completed project savings, savings from central bond program costs, grant funding from the state facility program, and leveraging additional restricted funding sources for transitional kindergarten facilities.
The board is set to reallocate $5.8 million in project budget savings from completed bond-funded projects to Stege. The savings identified during the reconciliation of project budgets stem from expenditure adjustments and the closeout of construction projects across multiple sites, including the replacement of the Michelle Obama and the Korematsu campuses.
Savings from reconciled site projects, such as Riverside ($2.8 million) and Highland ($747,125), will bolster funding for the full rebuild of Stege Elementary.
The board will also consider awarding a $51 million design-build contract to Alten Construction, LLC, in partnership with Perkins Eastman Architects. Alten has committed to completing the project in 32 months, with design costs initially set at $2.6 million. Final construction costs will be determined after design completion.
In July, district officials closed Stege Elementary School after environmental hazards were found on the campus.
Linda Hemmila
Soren Hemmila
The district relocated Stege to the DeJean Middle School campus, where it will remain until the modernization project is completed.
District officials said the rebuild will align with modern educational specifications. A staff report says the resolution demonstrates the district’s commitment to Stege Elementary and its belief in providing students and families with the quality facilities they deserve.
Stege Elementary has long been a focal point for community and district efforts to modernize aging infrastructure. The resolution follows a competitive procurement process under California’s Progressive Design-Build Statute, where Alten Construction emerged as the top contender based on criteria such as price, experience, and lifecycle costs.
The December 18 meeting will also feature other key agenda items, including the swearing-in of new trustees, the election of board leadership, and updates on interim budget plans and sanctuary district policies.
For more information, visit the district’s agenda portal, attend the meeting in person at Lovonya DeJean Middle School, or join the meeting online via Zoom.
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