Board hears update on Estill County Middle School site work, exterior design and kitchen planning

The Estill County Board of Education heard a facilities and construction update April 17 on the district’s planned middle school site, including site-preparation bidding, exterior design changes and next steps for the cafeteria and outdoor learning areas.

Central Office staff reported that the bid package for site preparation — limited to material moving and preparing the mountain site — has been released and that a final addendum went out the day before the meeting. Staff said building design and construction will follow site work and that design discussions are ongoing.

Design concerns raised at recent meetings included the main entrance and the gymnasium entrance; district staff said the design team asked permission to shift those elements and provide revised exterior options so the main entrance would “pop.” Staff said a kitchen/cafeteria consultant will meet with the district on Tuesday at 10:00 to review cafeteria layout and kitchen design options.

The staff update also described landscaping and student-safety design choices. For a narrow area between a wing and the cafeteria where grass might not grow, staff suggested fencing that section for supervised outdoor eating and installing turf rather than relying on grass. For an area described as an exterior classroom that will include a train car, the design team has adjusted the plan to step the area down and add ramps rather than placing it in a lowered pit to improve accessibility.

Staff said "Deco" (the design firm) will return with updated designs and another presentation in a future meeting. No binding contract awards for building construction were discussed at this meeting; the work described focused on site-preparation bidding and schematic design choices.

The board did not take action on construction contracts during the update; staff said additional details and presentations will be provided as design development continues.