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Board hears East Blos(s) construction update as district prepares summer moves and renovations
Summary
Facilities staff told trustees the district expects to ready about 650,000 square feet of new or remodeled school space by Aug. 1, outlined progress at Windsor Forest and Bloomingdale, and described multiple roofing, HVAC and athletic-field projects across the district.
District facilities staff delivered a detailed update on East Blos(s) projects and other capital work at the March 5 meeting, outlining schedules, budgets and construction milestones as the district prepares to occupy newly built or renovated school buildings this summer.
Staff said roughly 650,000 square feet of new or remodeled space must be ready by Aug. 1, including finishes, furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) and technology. The largest projects discussed were Windsor Forest High School and the new Bloomingdale Elementary facility; both were reported on schedule for an August opening. The board packet included photographs, cash-flow estimates and a program schedule for multiple projects.
Other projects described in the presentation included the DeRenne/DEH athletic complex (track, stadium and multiuse fields), renovation of the Henderson Early Learning Center, a major renovation and new middle-school-sized gym at Georgetown, planned work at Hubert (interior renovations, HVAC and field improvements), an alternative education center at the former Mercer School to house Building Bridges and WINGS programs, and an expansion of athletic facilities at Islands High School. Staff also listed several roofing and HVAC contracts scheduled for summer work, generator installations and playground or site-completion tasks at multiple locations.
Staff told trustees the contractor for DEH had delivered a certificate of occupancy allowing use of the baseball field; however, some site work had been delayed by poor weather in January–February and staff said contractors had worked to recover schedule. Trustees pressed staff on logistics for summer moves, salvage and disposal of furniture, and coordination with schools that use facilities in summer programs.
Board member Jessica Grabowski suggested establishing a program to repurpose salvageable furniture (for example by donating to Habitat Restore) rather than placing items in roll-off dumpsters. Staff replied that furniture was reviewed for salvage and stored at staging sites; they acknowledged additional organizational work may be needed to facilitate donations or reuse.
Board members asked for clearer access to the full program schedule; facilities staff agreed to provide the spreadsheet as a readable PDF. The update included design, bid and construction timing for projects expected to start this spring and proceed over multiple summers.
Why it matters: The work affects where thousands of students will be assigned this fall, the district’s summer staffing and moving plan, and budgets tied to East Blos(s) bond proceeds and capital funds. Delays or weather impacts to site work could affect athletic schedules and start-of-school readiness.
