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Wallingford-Swarthmore SD lays out high school renovation timeline, stakeholder outreach
Summary
District staff and architects described the high-school renovation kickoff, a series of MEP-focused walkthroughs and scheduled faculty and community stakeholder sessions beginning in January, and said biweekly technical meetings will continue to refine schematic design.
Wallingford-Swarthmore SD officials told the finance and facilities committee on Dec. 16 that work on the Strathaven High School renovation has moved from initial planning into a phased design and stakeholder-engagement schedule.
The district said it held a project kickoff Nov. 21 with architectural firm KCBA, construction manager CHA and district staff, followed by an MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) walkthrough on Nov. 25 and a first biweekly team meeting on Dec. 4. Officials said they plan faculty engagement sessions in January and community sessions in February, with a deeper MEP walkthrough planned for Dec. 30.
The update, delivered by a district presenter identified in the transcript as Speaker 4, emphasized the need to provide architects with original-building documentation and MEP assessments so designers can prioritize systems and phase work. ‘‘Our goal all along has been faculty meetings in January and then community meetings in February,’’ the presenter said, adding that initial design ideas will be shown to the public as a ‘‘blank slate’’ to solicit feedback.
Board members and the public pressed administrators on who would sit on project teams and whether biweekly technical meetings would be open to public observation. Administration said the biweekly meetings are primarily logistical and intended for internal project management, while broader updates and full discussion opportunities will be provided at public board meetings and through scheduled community sessions.
A public commenter, Leo Perry, asked who the project team includes and which stakeholders will follow faculty sessions; administration replied that the internal team includes named district staff and the contracted architecture and construction-management firms and that follow-up community outreach plans will be shared publicly.
Administration said it will also involve students in some engagement activities and that the schematic-design phase will be guided by the preliminary schedules and phasing worked out during the current contract with the architect and construction manager. The district confirmed it will publish dates and materials for the planned faculty and community sessions.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the renovation at this session; staff asked for continued feedback as design work progresses and confirmed additional public updates will occur through the board process.
