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District reports progress on referendum school construction and security upgrades, schedules further approvals
Summary
At a May 12 Facilities Committee meeting, staff updated the committee on referendum-funded construction at multiple schools and on security upgrades including new radios, window film and door-access controls. Several projects are set to complete before the 2025–26 school year; other work remains on summer schedules or requires board approval.
At the Facilities Committee meeting on May 12, 2025, district facilities staff gave a status update on referendum-funded construction and security projects across the district, saying several installations are on track for completion before the 2025–26 school year.
The update covered multiple elementary and high school projects. Facilities staff said the Sand Hill Elementary building pad is complete and that under-slab utilities and foundation prep had been paused because of rain; they gave a substantial completion date of Oct. 9, 2025. At Niceville Elementary, staff said remaining abatement work will wait until summer to avoid disturbing classrooms; about 16–18 classrooms already have been painted and flooring work is expected to start in June. Staff said a recommendation to the board for award of roofing and exterior wall contracts will appear at the board meeting next Monday.
At Sarville Elementary, staff said demolition of an older wing will begin June 2 after design documents were approved by the board of architectural review. At Ashley Ridge High School, schematic design for additions was submitted to OSF and staff said the project will be phased; initial work scheduled to begin June 2 will convert two large computer labs into four classrooms. Staff described the planned band-room work as roughly 5,000 square feet in total, including about 2,000 square feet added to the existing band room and additional practice and storage space.
At Fort Dorchester High School, staff said they are finalizing the scoping concept for classroom additions and will address related parking and roofing projects. Multiple campuses — including Windsor Hill and Flower Town — have paving and mill-and-pave work slated for the summer; staff said they are coordinating timing with principals and paving vendors.
Facilities staff also reported near-completion of several security projects funded by the referendum. The radio system rollout is “just about complete,” staff said, and the district office is expected to be fully running on the new radio system by Aug. 1. Installation of 3M window film was described as starting June 2 on a school-by-school schedule and expected to be finished by Aug. 1. Staff said referendum-funded camera and door-access control additions are complete, and that work to secure front-office storefront glass is underway with the larger front-office projects scheduled over the summer so they will be in place by the start of the next school year.
Staff also showed plans for a new gym location at one high school; they said site drainage, a retention pond and emergency-access routing limit space and make tennis courts infeasible in the gym area shown on the schematic. Staff emphasized the need to complete some elements of phased projects before other elements can begin.
The committee was told several projects will come to the board for approvals in the coming week; staff said they will continue progress reporting and coordinate summer schedules to minimize disruption to school operations.
