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Washington Unified hears update on 'Cool Schools' tree‑planting project; construction pushed to spring 2026
Summary
District staff and project partners told the board the CalFire‑funded Cool Schools greening project will plant nearly 800 trees across four campuses but construction is delayed to Spring Break 2026 after budget reconciliation and inflation increased costs; CalFire granted a one‑year no‑cost extension and Tree Davis will provide 3–5 years of maintenance.
Monique Stovall, the district’s chief business officer, introduced an informational update on the Cool Schools program — a partnership with the Texas Trees Foundation, Tree Davis and AECOM — that aims to reduce campus heat islands and expand outdoor learning by planting roughly 723–800 trees across four Washington Unified campuses.
Lucas Allred, a senior program manager with AECOM, said outreach and site analysis began in early 2024 and noted the project has received Division of the State Architect approval. He told trustees inflation, tariffs and other costs required a value‑engineering process that trimmed nonessential items (long loop trails, some play accessories and extra site furniture) while preserving age‑appropriate playgrounds, gardens and most greening elements.
The team said most play equipment is fabricated and that vendors have agreed to warehouse materials to avoid further cost escalation. Allred said the district and partners decided to postpone noisy demolition and heavy work to spring break 2026 to avoid impacts on students, with grading and implementation continuing into July 2026. He added, “we have factored in some escalation costs” and that CalFire granted the program a no‑cost one‑year time extension.
Trustees pressed staff about the risk of further postponement and whether equipment and materials are available; presenters said the majority of equipment is already fabricated, vendors are holding materials where possible, and the budget reconciliation includes escalation contingencies. The team also said they retained key, campus‑specific priorities (for example, River City’s outdoor learning spaces) and limited design cuts to about 5–10% per site.
On maintenance, presenters said the CalFire green schoolyards grant includes support for 3–5 years of care through Tree Davis. District staff acknowledged the long‑term maintenance obligation will increase district costs after the grant period and said facilities staff will receive training from partners to support tree establishment.
Trustees asked for clearer, ongoing communications with campus communities and requested updated visuals showing the revised designs. Staff agreed to continue engagement with new site leadership and to provide plan updates to the board and community.
Next steps: staff will finalize logistics and sequencing with campuses and vendors and return with continued updates as construction planning proceeds.
