Manassas school officials say Jennie Dean construction and Osborne connector are on schedule and on budget

Mister Grafeller provided the Manassas City School Board an update on two capital projects on Monday, saying both remain on schedule and on budget.

In a report the board heard the Jennie Dean Elementary School construction shifted in December from exterior work to interior phases, with crews advancing framing, drywall, mechanical and electrical rough-ins. "There are approximately a 120 workers on-site daily," Grafeller said, and the team is focusing on completing dry-in areas across the building so interior finishes can proceed.

Grafeller said major underground utilities are installed, crews are completing backfilling and grading, and long‑lead mechanical components that were ordered months earlier have started to arrive. He said exterior brick and façade materials are being installed and that enclosure progress allows interior trades to continue through the winter months.

The board also heard about the Osborne Connector project. Grafeller said the connector’s ribbon cutting has been held and that the completed corridor improves student movement and campus safety. He added that a small number of punch‑list items remain and that repaving of the adjacent parking area is planned for spring break because weather prevents the work now.

Board members asked students present for brief impressions of the connector; student speakers described it as an aesthetic and functional improvement. A board member asked about the fiscal treatment of underspent budget dollars; Grafeller confirmed that funds that are not spent revert to the fund balance.

Grafeller closed by reiterating the projects reflect the district’s long‑term investment in safe learning environments. He told the board the projects are "on track and on budget." The board offered no formal actions tied to the update; items described were informational.