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District outlines construction schedules and launches landscaping pilot to brighten school entrances
Summary
District construction and maintenance staff reported progress on multiple campus projects—Rye Ranch and Veterans schools, an AAA high-school addition, aviation classrooms and a hangar—and presented a $4,000 pilot landscaping package for Bashaw Elementary using drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants and QR-code educational signage.
District construction managers and maintenance staff gave the board a project-by-project update during the April 14 workshop, and presented a low-cost landscaping pilot aimed at improving campus entrance aesthetics and reducing long-term maintenance.
Construction highlights: Rye Ranch Elementary is on schedule for an August opening as exterior envelope and sitework near completion. Veterans (Artisan Lakes) school will open in phases with initial classrooms available in August and the media center/cafeteria and final work completing later. Additions and renovations are under way at several campuses, including an AAA High School classroom and cafeteria expansion and a Manatee Technical College aviation classroom and hangar project funded by an EDA grant; the aviation classroom phase is scheduled for completion in September 2026 with a hangar phase following.
Landscaping pilot: Maintenance staff proposed a pilot at Bashaw Elementary emphasizing Florida-friendly, drought-tolerant species (dwarf firebush, coastal coontie, blue porterweed and peanut/sunshine mimosa groundcovers) and a white-shell finish to create a safe, walkable bed. The pilot would include interpretive signage with QR codes for classroom use; installed cost for the Bashaw design was presented as under $4,000. Staff recommended scaling the approach to other entranceways, using high-school agricultural programs and community sponsors to assist with installation and stewardship.
Facilities maintenance: Board members used the session to press for improved systems for reporting recurring grounds and infrastructure issues (irrigation failures, potholes, rusted fixtures). District leaders said they will tighten principal-level reporting and include facilities checks in AP meetings to create a clearer work-order pipeline and a data basis for possible targeted capital maintenance funding.
Representative quote: Construction manager: "The Rye Ranch project is slated to be completed by July of this year for an August opening," and maintenance director Todd Hinson described the Bashaw pilot as "low-cost, high-impact" and appropriate for drought conditions.
What happens next: staff will return with refined site lists and timelines for additional pilot rollouts and will present consolidated maintenance reporting and funding recommendations as part of the district's capital-maintenance planning.
