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District OKs master‑plan concepts as consultants outline high‑school reorganization, security and phased bond work
Summary
Consultants presented a seven‑year facility master plan that prioritizes a major reorganization and expansion of Dallas Center‑Grimes High School to increase capacity, expand career‑tech spaces and consolidate operations; the board and facilities staff will use the plan to stage bond, SAVE/PPEL and other funding decisions.
OPN (with DCI) presented a facility master plan to the Dallas Center‑Grimes Community School District board outlining prioritized repairs and renovations across the district and a concept to reorganize the high‑school campus. The consultants said the high school currently houses about 1,073 students and described options to reorganize the building, add classroom and career‑technical education (CTE) capacity, consolidate two kitchens and cafeterias, and create a more cohesive campus feel.
Why it matters: Consultants and the facility‑advisory committee identified safety and secure entries as top short‑term priorities and the high school as the largest capacity and functional need. The plan maps a phased approach across roughly seven years so the district can coordinate construction timing, maintain operations during work and pursue funding through bonds, SAVE/PPEL and other sources.
Consultants described a two‑stage site strategy tied to the planned Mustang Road connection: interim circulation changes before the road exists and additional campus/stadium improvements after the road is completed. Proposed site work would increase parking (from about 820 spaces in current configuration to roughly 1,160 as presented), add head‑in parking, and create clearer drop‑off and circulation points to reduce bottlenecks on the west side of campus. The team also recommended stadium upgrades (bleachers and a new press box), expanded locker and team rooms, and underground detention to manage additional hard surfacing.
On the building plan, the consultants recommended removing redundant spaces and reusing vacated areas to increase classroom utilization rather than simply adding isolated classrooms. Their target scenario for accommodating future enrollment includes additional classroom neighborhoods and roughly four expanded CTE lab/ workshop spaces for wood, metals and “maker” programming, plus a new greenhouse and consolidated special‑education suites with adaptive restroom and life‑skills spaces. Consultants also proposed inclusive playgrounds at elementary sites touched by renovations.
Superintendent Scott Bloom and board members discussed sequencing and funding. The consultants recommended bundling like projects to gain economy of scale and noted safety/security work (secure vestibules at multiple elementary schools and reorganized administrative entries at the middle school) rose to the top of the community priority list.
"The high school ended up being your biggest need," said an OPN presenter, citing classroom crowding and use patterns as drivers of the reorganization concept. "We're trying to bring the current high‑school classrooms up to that level and create more opportunity for collaboration and daylight in learning spaces."
Next steps: The consultants expect to finalize the master plan within about a month and will work with district staff on a funding and bond‑staging plan. The board and superintendent said they will consider what to include in a November bond referendum and how to sequence work using SAVE and PPEL dollars and other resources.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A with OPN/DCI (facility consultants), board discussion and superintendent remarks.
