Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
School division outlines security vestibule, gym and bus replacement plans; Washington District bid expected by November
Summary
School officials presented security and facility upgrades including a secure vestibule and new entrance for Washington District Elementary (bid early–mid November; construction planned for May) and an order‑of‑magnitude $5 million estimate for a new Coppell Elementary gym; the projects are included in the joint CIP.
Kathy Rice, speaking for the school division, highlighted two high‑dollar projects in the joint capital improvement plan and described how they would improve safety and program space.
"This project ... includes really significant improvements to enhance the safety and the security of Washington District Elementary," Rice said, outlining a plan that relocates the main office adjacent to a secured entry vestibule, adds screening checkpoints and provides direct visibility for administrators and the school resource officer.
Rice said construction documents prepared by Grimm & Parker Architects are complete, bidding is anticipated in early–mid November, and construction is scheduled to begin May 22 with a target for substantial completion by July to meet the August school opening.
The division also proposed a freestanding gymnasium for Coppell Elementary — a 7,000‑square‑foot multipurpose building connected by an enclosed corridor — and placed an order‑of‑magnitude estimate in the CIP of about $5,000,000 based on a July 2024 cost study. Rice said the project is early in planning: architectural and engineering work is planned in CIP year 3 (referred to as "2728" in the presentation) and construction in year 5 (referred to as "2930").
Other school CIP items listed included scheduled bus replacement (three buses in year one, then two per year), HVAC improvements across buildings, replacement of doors and panic hardware, laptop and grounds equipment replacement, and smaller building repairs. Rice said a preventive‑maintenance HVAC contract helps extend equipment life but does not remove the need for eventual capital replacement.
Next steps: The school division will continue design and cost‑estimate work for the highlighted projects. The division and county staff plan to include school project allocations in the proposed MOA and in the financing RFP for review in November.
