District outlines school construction sequencing; design-development set due, communications planned
Summary
Project team briefed the committee on design-development drawings, a draft construction schedule that staggers elementary builds after the high school, the Stage 2 RIDE memorandum of agreement limiting scope transfers, and a public communications plan including a video and mailer.
The district’s school‑rebuilding project team told the School Committee that the design‑development drawings will be released to the district and that construction sequencing currently calls for the high school to begin first, followed by Primrose, then the next elementary (Mayet/NAYET), then Solins.
Project manager Chris said the district is planning a staggered schedule to capture efficiencies from similar elementary designs and to use April break and the first summer for enabling work and foundations. "All schools will be open at the same time no matter which schedule we pursue," Chris told the committee, adding that staggering allows the team to incorporate lessons learned between similar builds.
The team reported the district is about 1.5% over target on cost and that independent cost estimates will be reviewed. The project is operating under a memorandum of agreement with the Rhode Island Department of Education that sets budgets for each school and prevents transferring budgeted scope from one school to another if it would cut educational program in a receiving school; the project manager said MOA approvals are possible later in the process for immaterial shifts.
The design‑development set will enable the construction manager to finalize logistics and phasing. The team also described a communications plan developed with a consultant: an updated project landing page, a mailed flyer to all addresses and a short explainer video designed to translate technical steps and site logistics for families.
Committee members asked for the draft schedule to be shared publicly as "very much draft" and discussed plans for limiting disruptive work to summer breaks where possible. The team said work would start in April with enabling and electrical work, heavy foundation and steel work in summer for Primrose and Mayet at staggered intervals, and that final sequencing could still change pending the design‑development details and cost estimates.
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