Board approves Colonial School District's annual maintenance repair plan; facilities projects advance

The Colonial School Board voted April 8 to approve the district's April 2025 annual Maintenance Repair Plan, a document the administration must submit to the state Department of Education by May 1 under the Senate bill substitute for SB 270, administration said.

Moffett and Drew gave a quarterly "we improve" facilities update, announcing that the district has negotiated an AIA contract with Becker Morgan for the Wheaton Bend athletic complex and security enhancements and is finalizing AIA contracts for roofing and other 2025 projects at Eisenberg and Penn with RD Architects and other firms. The administration said it expects to share finalized contracts at the May board meeting and is preparing RFPs for construction management services to oversee large projects.

Drew said a kickoff meeting with Becker Morgan had begun schematic design for the athletic complex and the district has expanded its construction oversight committee to include additional parent and staff members.

Board members raised questions about permitting and timeline risks. Administrators attributed some delays to required reviews with entities including the historical society, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and DelDOT for traffic impact studies. Officials also reported an easement review and negotiations with Doc Foods related to sewer access adjacent to a leased property, and said counsel review slowed progress.

The board approved the maintenance plan by motion and vote. No specific budget figures for the projects were presented during the meeting; staff said contract details and next procurement steps will be brought back to the board for approvals as they are finalized.