The Board received a facilities and construction update Jan. 14 covering active projects, upcoming bid schedules and a completed renovation.

Glenn Slater of Volker reviewed progress on South Lawn Middle School (overall about 60% complete, with a short roofing warranty/installation issue being resolved), the Park Crossing High School fieldhouse (about 80% complete), and the Todd Road relocation for Percy Julian High School. Slater said six general contractors have been prequalified to bid on the new high school and that the pre-bid and bid-opening dates were being moved toward the end of February to allow the architect time to finish drawings; he said construction is anticipated to start in April or May.

District facilities director Chad Anderson provided context about the roofing issue at South Lawn and emphasized protecting warranty coverage by ensuring proper ventilation under decking; he estimated the roofing clarification would add roughly one to two weeks to that portion of the work but should not cause a major schedule slip. Anderson said the Carver renovation and substantial-completion punch list are complete and will be removed from weekly reports.

Anderson also reported the district's electric-bus grant faced a vendor issue: a recommended electric-bus supplier, Lion Bus Electric, has filed for bankruptcy and the district is working with the state to transfer the grant procurement to its usual supplier. Other projects discussed included turf and track replacements at Park Crossing and Carver high schools, HVAC and window upgrades at Morning View and Davis elementaries (advertisement expected by month'end), and an emergency roof replacement at Bellengrath that started as weather permitted.

Why it matters: Updates affect school openings, athletic scheduling and capital spending. Staff said they are coordinating replacement of fields and tracks to allow sanctioned competition and to reduce disruption to school athletic schedules.

What's next: Staff will proceed with pre-bid work for the new high school, continue close oversight on roofing warranties and report progress at future meetings.