Board reviews capital projects list, restroom upgrades and Walnut Hill improvements

Board members spent substantial time Sept. 16 reviewing the district’s capital-project list and project-selection process. Staff described a range of projects for 2026–27 including HVAC and roof work, renovations to bring restrooms up to ADA standards at central office, Walnut Hill auditorium/cafeteria reconfiguration to reduce lunch lines, playground/transportable building work, and a $500,000 driveway/paving line-item for a school driveway in poor condition.

On the central-office restroom project, facilities staff said the clustered plumbing means several fixtures must be replaced simultaneously and that the building’s restrooms were built "in the sixties, before ADA existed," requiring full upgrades to meet turning radiuses and drainage needs. Staff explained the work includes epoxy floors, improved partitions and new fixtures to increase water flow and sanitation.

Board members also discussed Walnut Hill: staff described removing the old stage to expand dining capacity, adding a third serving line and reconfiguring flow in order to condense multiple lunch shifts. For larger construction, staff provided a ballpark cost for a 12-classroom wing at Donny Bickham of roughly $7,000,000 and explained code requirements (e.g., tornado-resistant classroom construction) that affect price and design.

Staff outlined the standard procurement process for selecting architects and designers: annual qualification advertisements, a scoring matrix and, for very large projects above the policy threshold (discussed at roughly $12,000,000), a short-list of firms that present to the board for final selection. The board asked for additional documentation on the Donny Bickham advertisement and confirmed staff would provide it.

No new contracts were approved in committee; the items were discussed and remained scheduled for later board action or placement on consent.