Moreland trustees approve field‑upgrade contracts, construction management agreements and personnel assignments

The Moreland School District Board of Trustees on Oct. 25 approved multiple items including contracts for field improvements at Baker Elementary, Easterbrook Discovery School (EDS) and Moreland Middle School (MMS); construction management agreements; certificated assignments; and a resolution authorizing district transactions with the California Department of Education.

Field improvement contracts and schedule

Board members approved architect agreements and construction‑management services tied to a multi‑site fields project. Presenters said the work is in the design and preconstruction phase: consultants will complete topographical and soil surveys, finalize drainage and infill specifications, and prepare Division of State Architect (DSA) submittals. The district said it intends to start DSA submission after design completion (presenters cited an April–July window for a DSA submission cycle) and that bidding and contractor selection will follow; the earliest projected construction start is late summer pending DSA review and contractor procurement.

The board discussed the need for an outreach and communication plan to notify families, neighbors and community renters about field closures during construction and to address questions about artificial turf, infill options and environmental concerns. Staff said principals and project leads will brief school communities once final designs are available and that some site activities will be relocated to alternative fields when necessary.

Personnel and other approvals

The trustees also approved a slate of certificated assignments (emergency credentials, long‑term substitutes and other hires specific to site needs), an annual routine resolution authorizing district transactions with the California Department of Education, and a deductive change order for a previously completed project (Anderson Suter) reflecting a lower final cost than originally estimated.

Votes at a glance

- Approve Country Lane SPSA (motion passed in open session) - Approve EDS SPSA (motion passed in open session) - Approve Baker Elementary architectural services (approved) - Approve Baker construction management agreement (approved) - Approve EDS architectural services (approved) - Approve EDS construction management agreement (approved) - Approve MMS architectural services (approved) - Approve MMS construction management agreement (approved) - Approve certificated assignments and emergency credentials (approved) - Approve resolution authorizing Moreland School District to transact with California Department of Education (approved) - Approve deductive change order (approved)

Each motion was moved and seconded and passed without recorded dissent in the public record.

Why it matters: The field infrastructure project is one of the district’s larger capital efforts in recent years and will require coordinated scheduling, DSA approvals and community communication. The personnel approvals and CDE resolution are routine board responsibilities but were notable in aggregate because they enable site staffing and compliance for the new school year.

Next steps: Staff will finalize design details, coordinate DSA submissions and present final construction contracts to the board when bidding is complete. The district will also develop and share a community communication plan addressing turf choice, timeline and temporary field relocations.