Frederick County schools outline fourth high school design, flooring choices and redistricting timeline

Frederick County Public Schools staff on Monday gave the Building and Grounds Committee a detailed look at design development for the planned fourth high school, requested cost comparisons for flooring options and outlined a redistricting schedule tied to the new school’s opening.

Mr. Shepherd, director of planning and construction, told the committee that design development concluded Sept. 5 and the division is reviewing construction drawings and civil site plans expected by the end of the week. He said the media center was designed to hold 15,000 books and highlighted structural "glulam" beams and other cost-conscious adjustments to trim initial costs.

The committee spent substantial time on flooring options. Shepherd presented four choices — vinyl composition tile (VCT), luxury vinyl tile (LVT), polished concrete and carpet — and asked cost estimators to run life-cycle comparisons. "LVT is a midpoint option with minimal upkeep," he said, while staff noted VCT requires intensive stripping and waxing (facilities estimated roughly $4,500 per school annually for wax). For polished concrete, contractor Mr. Kenny explained the higher upfront costs tied to specialized pours, higher PSI mixes and protection during construction but added that, "once we get to a polished concrete floor, it's there" and requires far less routine maintenance.

Shepherd said the division would likely put LVT in the base bid and list polished concrete as an add-alternate so bidders can price both options. Committee members asked for side-by-side estimates showing initial installation costs and projected maintenance savings over time before final bid documents are issued.

On site circulation, Shepherd showed a drive-through animation illustrating parent drop-off and a separate bus loop; the parent loop was redesigned to add roughly 1,600 feet of queuing to reduce conflicts between cars and buses. The design team also proposed adjustments to masonry/wall heights in select areas to lower cost while preserving programmatic needs.

The presentation included broader facilities planning tied to enrollment growth. Staff reported the county is roughly 105% capacity and noted nearby housing growth around Sherando High School that will increase demand. A non-funded Sherando master plan presented in the same briefing includes relocating softball and baseball fields onto campus, additional staff parking and phased site and building work; a larger building expansion remains on the CIP for 2034–2038 if pursued.

Shepherd also described the redistricting timeline: the division issued an RFP Aug. 1, received 11 consultant submissions by Sept. 2 and expects to recommend a contract award in October. He said elementary rezoning would be implemented for the fall 2027 school year and secondary (middle and high) rezoning would align with the fourth high school’s opening in August 2029. Staff emphasized the process will include community engagement and division feedback.

The committee asked about removing modular classrooms once the fourth high school opens; Shepherd said removal depends on project sequencing and capacity, and cautioned that some schools (for example Middletown) may immediately return to or remain near capacity after their expansions. On a separate project within the fourth high school scope, staff said a booster pump to increase water pressure on a steep grade at James Wood High School is being added under the current project budget to meet fire-suppression pressure tests — a measure described as asset protection rather than an immediate safety shortfall.

The district said it will provide comparative cost estimates for flooring options and follow up on bid-alternate language before sending documents to procurement. The committee received the presentations as informational; no funding was requested at the meeting.