Brian Thomas, a representative from 505, and district staff gave the Stillwater Public Schools Board of Education a monthly bond-and-construction update focused on the new high school, the transportation office at OES and other capital projects.

The update noted that the district received bond proceeds totaling $10,886,950 and that multiple construction packages are advancing despite rain-related delays. "The contractor did an extremely well job on there; it's probably one of the shortest punch lists that we've had," Brian Thomas said, referring to the transportation facility punch walk and final inspections that were expected to clear a temporary certificate of occupancy. The transportation site still required gravel and a fence adjustment, Thomas said.

Why it matters: work on the high school and related projects determines when students and staff can occupy new spaces, affects the schedule for athletic and extracurricular programming and triggers purchase and installation timelines for furniture and equipment.

Board members were shown recent progress photos and a timeline update. District construction staff described the high school as largely enclosed in many areas, with roofing, brickwork, interior drywall, mechanical replacements and electrical rough-ins in progress. The update said half of the high school’s performance-arts wing roof had been installed and that parking and site paving were slated for the end of the month if weather cooperated.

District staff highlighted specific areas of work: mechanical curbs and replacements for HVAC units (17 units set in a week), insulation and sheetrock on upper floors, science labs nearing millwork installation, a media center glass wall being installed, kitchen hoods and stainless-steel fabrication arriving, and durable gypsum board specified for certain special-education areas. Thomas said the contractor and subcontractors were coordinating to minimize periods with no air conditioning when replacing units.

On scheduling, staff said phase 1 of the high school project was tracking toward its contractual targets and that the north half of the building could be a candidate for a temporary certificate of occupancy and early furniture moves later in the fall. "We're already having meetings talking about punching the north half of the building later this fall, November–December, which then would allow the city process for a temporary certificate of occupancy," Thomas said. Staff described the possibility of awarding furniture and equipment packages in the fall to take advantage of purchasing windows that can lower costs.

Athletics and related facilities work remains under review. Staff said an executive committee meeting was scheduled to review prioritization for athletic improvements that emerged after the bond passed; the committee expects to bring a recommendation in August to align priorities with available contingency and budget savings. Staff also described site-specific structural scans and exploratory reports for existing gym structures to inform demolition and early demo bidding packages aimed at compressing construction impacts into a single summer where possible.

District staff recommended a site tour for the board in late summer or early fall so members could see finished and nearly finished spaces. The presenters also noted the OES transportation office was expected to receive a temporary occupancy soon, allowing moving and initial operations to start there.

Ending: Board members thanked staff and contractors for the progress and said they would follow up on scheduling and a proposed August recommendation on athletics priorities. The board did not take any formal action on scope changes during the presentation.