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District hears preview of Thirstston High School renovations ahead of 2026–27 work
Summary
Project teams described phased summer work at Thirstston High School that will replace classroom HVAC with vertical units, upgrade data and security infrastructure, refresh finishes and restrooms, and complete flooring and furniture installs across two summers (2026 and 2027).
Project representatives on May 11 outlined a two-summer renovation program at Thirstston High School that district officials say will modernize classrooms and building systems funded through the 2021 bond program.
The presentation by Chris Schneider of Barton Malow and Kyra Copeland of TMP Architecture described the work as bid package 14 in the district’s bond sequence. "The improvement will be replacing that unit with a vertical ventilation unit which is then tied into new duct work which will evenly spread and broadcast the heating and cooling for the students and staff in each of the classrooms," Schneider said, describing the move away from single-convector unit ventilators to whole-room systems.
Why it matters: the district said the upgrades aim to improve thermal comfort, update building controls, and modernize infrastructure to support technology and safety. The work also includes hallway flooring replacement, a media-center refresh, restroom renovations, upgraded furniture, Category 6E data cabling and new security cameras.
District staff and the contractors said the program will be executed in two phases to match existing mechanical loops and reduce disruption. "We're going to split it up into two summers," Schneider said, with the blue classrooms scheduled for summer 2026 and the remaining classrooms in 2027. He added that much of the conduit and cabling installation is already complete and that painting and hallway work will be prioritized in 2026 so classroom work can proceed in 2027.
The presentation included photos of completed "pull-ahead" work (paint, TV installations, security camera upgrades) and showed a rendering of a new walk-off mat at student entrance No. 2 featuring the Thirstston eagle. Copeland and Schneider also described upgrades to building mechanical, electrical and plumbing controls intended to make systems easier to operate.
Financial and schedule notes: the presenters said the district remains in a positive financial position for the bond work and that the bid package is one of 14 major bid packages. The team said most data cabling work is roughly complete and that the security-camera replacement will substitute most existing cameras rather than leaving several legacy units.
Board reaction and next steps: board members asked technical questions about which cameras would be replaced and whether all classrooms would receive vertical units; the presenters said a small number of newer vertical units in the 800 wing will remain because they were replaced during earlier bond work. The board received the presentation; the project will proceed through the district’s procurement and permitting steps ahead of summer construction.
