Associate Superintendent Angie Smith on Sept. 15 presented a multi-site capital projects update that outlined work finishing this year and projects the district plans for the 2026 summer construction cycle.
Smith said the district uses an established maintenance cycle for roofs and pavements and is prioritizing coating over full replacement when feasible. She listed projects scheduled or in progress: Schneider and Goodwin roofs are next in the roofing cycle; the freight elevator and loading-dock work at West High will finish once the elevator cabin is delivered; multiple sites are slated for seal coating and concrete repairs; transportation will receive a new parking and driver-training lot at a recently purchased Airport Road property; Herget Middle School will undergo more extensive pavement and stormwater work; and tuckpointing and masonry repairs are planned at Jewell, Smith and Freeman.
Why it matters: The projects affect building safety, accessibility and long-term maintenance costs. Smith said the district budgets multi-year for capital work and expects to operate in the $7 million to $8 million range for the 2026'27 capital plan in a typical non-major-construction year.
Selected details from the presentation
- West High: Freight elevator and dock work nearly complete; final cabin delivery pending to enable full-service vertical transport and basement storage use.
- Pavement and parking: Seal coating and crack-filling scheduled at multiple sites; the Airport Road property will include additional staff parking and a driver-training course for bus drivers; 16 new parking spaces were reported at the Herget project.
- Herget track and field: The district is installing an eight-lane track and a grass football field (not artificial turf). Smith noted that installing turf would have added about $1 million to the Herget project; the district plans to let the grass take root over the coming months and delay competitive use of the field until next fall.
- Transportation infrastructure: EV bus chargers are installed and ready; the district is awaiting bus deliveries. Smith said the district plans a solar canopy over some transportation parking to support electric buses when available.
- Facilities envelope and plumbing: Planned tuckpointing, replacement of galvanized piping and additional bathroom and tunnel-lane work at multiple schools.
- Automotive and technical center: Smith highlighted the new engines lab and classroom at the district automotive center, built with a mix of district funds, state legislative support and a roughly $500,000 DCEO grant.
Process and next steps: Smith said the board will see individual project bids and vendor recommendations as each scope moves from planning to procurement; the board is not being asked to approve the whole slate at once. She said some work may be done by district staff depending on project scope after inspections.
Questions and clarifications: Board members asked whether the Herget field is grass (Smith: yes) and about rotating middle-school use of the new track; Smith said buildings will rotate practice days and typically use Herget for Friday meets. Smith said some ancillary work may be scheduled this winter and spring to prepare sites for full use next fall.