The District is heavy involved in meetings to discuss the building needs as part of the design process.
District-wide Construction Team/Building Construction Teams – The second round of summer building team meetings have started. Each school was updated on the current phasing plan and additional details were provided on the renovated spaces. Elevations for teacher workrooms and options for furniture were presented. In the next several weeks, the District will be receiving sample teacher workstations for teachers to review and provide feedback.
Weekly Core Group Meeting – This team meets every week and the members include Wight, Pepper, Director of Facilities and Assistant Superintendent for Business. This group is working on all the items discussed above, plus technical items such as school modeling, school space field verification, due diligence, and deferred maintenance items. In addition, the group is discussing phasing, soil borings and topographical/utility surveys.
Model Classrooms – Furniture for each of the six additional model classrooms has been ordered. The process for selecting classrooms furniture during construction is being developed and should be ready by the end of October.
Design – Wight is continuing into Design Development which will provide a much greater level of design detail. Focus group meetings for Phase 1 spaces were held at each school during September. These focus groups focussed on the details of the spaces, type of millwork, location of items etc. After these meetings, another set of meetings will be held to document final design details on Phase 1 spaces. Spaces being renovated in Phase 2 and 3 will be reviewed after the start of the calendar year.
Cost Estimates – Pepper provided a second cost estimate which is known as Schematic Design in August. Drawings have progressed at this point and the systems and finishes for each of the facilities are better defined. The District has value engineered the design and budget. A list of priority items has been developed. The items listed on our priority list once vetted will become the work the District will consider in Phase 2 or 3 (Summer 2021 and Summer 2022), once actual costs are known. Reserves for design/construction contingency and escalation must be carried through for each phase, but will be evaluated after each phase. The District has also created a tentative capital budget for items that need to be completed in the next 5-7 years.
Construction Phasing – The first draft of phasing at each school has been presented. A detailed action plan on all of the impacted spaces is being prepared and additional meetings with the buildings are scheduled to continue to refine the phasing plan. Actual Phase 1 construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2020.
Community members can stay up to date with the latest construction information by visiting https://maine207.org/construction/