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Fourth high school site plan revised to increase parent queuing, add bus median; color-scheme survey to students
Summary
Designers moved the parent drop-off loop to gain roughly 1,600 feet of queuing, added a concrete median in the bus loop for block heaters and special-education loading, and trimmed concrete to reduce stormwater costs. The board will solicit student input on three color-scheme options before a final decision.
Design changes to Frederick County’s planned fourth high school aim to ease traffic and reduce long-term maintenance costs while keeping construction budgets in mind.
At an Aug. 11 Buildings & Grounds Committee meeting, the division’s CIP lead showed a revised site plan that relocates the parent drop-off and pick-up loop to provide about 1,600 feet of queuing space, addressing concerns about afternoon backups. The plan also adds a concrete median in the bus loop to separate special-education and general-education loading and provide pedestal power for block heaters on diesel buses, the presenter said: “That gives us the 1,600 feet of queuing space that we needed,” Mr. Shepherd said.
The median also allows motorists to pass buses legally while loading is in progress, Shepherd said, and the layout accommodates up to seven buses in queue. The design team trimmed sidewalk and other concrete areas to lower construction and stormwater-management costs, he added, noting the changes reduce required runoff control while retaining pedestrian space.
Board members asked for assurances on truck access to the revised loading-dock area. Shepherd said the canopy and dock are sized for 53-foot tractor-trailers so deliveries will be possible “right to it,” and that the team will verify measurements before construction.
The committee also reviewed a proposed freestanding “East Restroom” near the tennis courts — a 12-by-18-foot structure with two single-sex restrooms — with a preliminary construction estimate just under $300,000 (the presenter described that figure as a rough estimate that omits escalation and contingency). One board member questioned the cost per fixture and said the priority should be building the school to full capacity first.
Beyond site engineering, the division presented three color-scheme palettes for the new high school — purple/black/silver, orange/blue/black, and dark green/silver/black — and outlined plans to collect student feedback. The administration said it will distribute a student survey (open to fifth graders through seniors) for one week and return results to the board; the committee did not take a formal vote on color choices at the meeting.
What happens next: the administration will collect the student survey results and provide a recommendation to the board. The committee did not set a formal vote at the meeting and said minor design clarifications and Pantone color codes will be provided to members and the public as requested.
