Cherry Creek Schools outlines bond projects, enrollment trends and strains on nutrition and transportation programs

Cherry Creek School District Chief Financial and Operating Officer Scott Smith told the Board of Education on Feb. 10 that the district is under way on projects funded by a $950,000,000 bond approved by voters last fall and is already breaking ground on several large construction projects, even as the district contends with declining enrollment and mounting pressure on federal and state funding for student services.

Smith said major bond projects include doubling the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC), building an eight-lane pool and standalone facility at Overland High School, rebuilding Laredo Middle School, constructing a single building for The Hollies campus, replacing the West Building at Cherry Creek High School and finishing a new nutrition warehouse. "We were the first school district out of the gate. We did a ton of work upfront to be ready to go, and we have already broken ground in some places," Smith said.

The nut graf: The update made clear that the district expects higher construction costs and must manage contingencies while serving about 52,000 students across a large geographic area; simultaneous threats to federal reimbursements for programs such as the National School Lunch Program and proposed state cuts could force hard staffing and program choices.

Smith told the board construction pricing varies by project—he cited ranges of about $600 to $700 per square foot—and that some projects, like the CCIC expansion, are running slightly under budget while others, such as the…