School Construction Report
Goal 2008: WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.
March 30, 2006
BOARD HEARS OF POSSIBLE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COST REDUCTIONS
In the March 21 committee of the whole meeting, the Board of Education heard
WCPSS administrators describe the impact of cost reduction options in the
next school construction program. Assistant Superintendent Mike Burriss
described potential cost reductions. Donna Hargens, Assistant Superintendent
for Curriculum and Instruction, summarized administrators' concerns about
the impact of these options in elementary, middle and high schools.
In elementary school, cost saving options include reducing classrooms by 50 square feet and deleting sinks in grade 2-5 classrooms. WCPSS Facility Planning and Construction states shrinking elementary classrooms would save 3,700 square feet and about $550,000. Eliminating the sinks would save $60,000. Hargens said the smaller classrooms would mean a loss of learning centers, decrease the simultaneous use of resources, eliminate some manipulative activities and move some student groups under parent supervision into hallways. She said the loss of sinks would eliminate some science labs and pose health and safety issues. Both would provide additional challenges for teachers.
In middle school, cost saving options include reducing middle school classrooms by 150-200 square feet, eliminating auditoriums and creating cafetoriums and eliminating locker bays. WCPSS Facility Planning and Construction states shrinking middle school classrooms to DPI standards would save 5,292 square feet and about $750,000. Eliminating auditoriums and modifying designs to use dining and gym together as a cafeteroium would save 4,865 square feet and $700,000. Deleting locker bays is not possible, unless lockers are totally deleted. Hargens said smaller classrooms would mean a reduction of station work, reduction in differentiated learning opportunities and increase challenges in classroom management. Eliminating an auditorium would mean loss of performing arts space and loss of space for single-grade presentations. The loss of lockers or reducing the space for students to get to their lockers would create safety issues.
In high school, cost saving options include reducing high school classrooms by 100 square feet, eliminating locker bays, reducing practice fields and sharing stadiums. WCPSS Facility Planning and Construction states shrinking high school classrooms to DPI standards would save 6,854 square feet and about $1 million. Deleting locker bays is not possible, unless lockers are totally deleted. Deleting a practice field would save $500,000. Deleting a stadium and adding a practice field instead would save $2.1 million. Hargens said smaller classrooms would not have space for a table, podium or overhead cart for teachers. Eliminating lockers would increase the need for supervision and the potential for safety issues. Eliminating stadiums would decrease receipts for athleticism fly in the face of the declining use of regional stadiums and strain facilities due to constant use. Eliminating practice fields could lead to health and safety issues.
The board and school administration will continue to discuss cost savings in the next school construction program in meetings next month.
BOARD NAMES DESIGN CONSULTANT FOR AVERSBORO
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education selected Ramsay GMK as the
design consultant for an addition and renovation at Aversboro Elementary.
This project will be included in the next building program. The total proposed
project budget will be determined with the development of the next building
program. The estimated current budget is approximately $19,000,000 of which
$978,228 is currently available from the PLAN 2004 School Building Program.
The remainder of the funds will come from the next building program. The
total project budget will include design compensation for the design consultant
of $1,014,886. However, since the design consultant is only authorized to
provide services through construction documents, (including design narrative,
schematic design, and construction documents), this agreement is only for
$659,676. The remaining amount will be authorized after passage of the next
building program.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR CARPENTER CONVERSION
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to Harrod & Associates Constructors in the amount of $362,500.00 for
the conversion of the Green Hope 9th Grade Center back to Carpenter Elementary
School. The school was built to serve as an elementary school, was converted
for use as a 9th Grade Center to relieve high school crowding and will open
as a year-round elementary school for 2006-07. Funding is available from
the overall Carpenter total project budget of $12,374,909 of which $12,358,609
is from the PLAN 2000 School Building Program and $16,300 is from Wake County
Parks & Recreation.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR SMITH PARTIAL ROOF REPLACEMENT
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to Simon Roofing and Sheet Metal Corp. in the amount of $318,751.00 for
the partial roof replacement at Smith Elementary School. The total proposed
budget for re-roofing and system-wide improvements is $376,551, of which
$30,300 is from the System-Wide Improvements component, $263,700 is from
the Re-Roofing component of the PLAN 2004 School Building Program, and $82,551
is from savings from the Re-Roofing component of the PLAN 2004 School Building
Program.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR NEW MODULAR AT KNIGHTDALE
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to C Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $178,996 for the site set-up
of one Eight-Classroom Modular Complex for Knightdale Elementary. Funding
is available from the project budget of $4,635,000 for the leasing and set-up
of one hundred and three (103) classrooms (mobile/modular units), which
is part of the $5,385,000 Crowding Solution budget for 2006.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR NEW MODULAR AT MIDDLE CREEK
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to C Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $129,951 for the site set-up
of one Eight-Classroom Modular Complex for Middle Creek Elementary. Funding
is available in the project budget of $4,635,000 for the leasing and set-up
of one hundred and three (103) classrooms (mobile/modular units), which
is part of the $5,385,000 Crowding Solution budget for 2006.
BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR SANDERSON SPORTS FIELD LIGHTING
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education awarded an installation
contract to Tommy Lawrence Electrical Contractors, Inc. in the amount of
$122,500 to upgrade the Sanderson High electrical system and sports field
lighting. The upgrade is required to meet the North Carolina Athletic Association
lighting standards. In order to accomplish this, the electrical system that
serves the lights must be upgraded and the obsolete transformers must be
replaced. The system is approximately 35 years old. Funding is available
from the 2005-2006 Maintenance and Operations budget.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR WAKELON ELEMENTARY
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No.
GC-01 to Clancy & Theys Construction Company for their Construction
Management at Risk contract for Wakelon Elementary School. This change order,
in the amount of $11,132,085 is to establish a guaranteed maximum price
(GMP) for the site work package and other early release packages, which
are part of the 34 construction packages for this project. In addition,
this GMP establishes the general condition costs for the project. A future
change order will be brought to the May 16, 2006 Board meeting to establish
the GMP for the total elementary school project. The total proposed project
budget is $22,950,000, of which $14,983,080 is currently available from
the PLAN 2004 School Building Program. An estimated future reallocation
of $7,966,920 may be required because of escalating construction costs.
The Town of Zebulon will reimburse for part of the entrance road. The amount
is yet to be determined.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR HOLLY GROVE ELEMENTARY
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No.
CM-01 to Clancy & Theys Construction Company for their Construction
Management at Risk contract for the Holly Grove Elementary School permanent
site. This change order, in the amount of $9,274,555 is to establish a guaranteed
maximum price (GMP) for the site work package and other early release packages,
which are part of the 34 construction packages for this project. In addition,
this GMP establishes the general condition costs for the project. A future
change order will be brought to the May 2, 2006 Board meeting to establish
the GMP for the total elementary school project. The total proposed project
budget is $21,200,000, of which $14,983,080 is currently available from
the PLAN 2004 School Building Program. An estimated future reallocation
of $6,216,920 may be required because of escalating construction costs.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR HOLLY SPRINGS HIGH
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No.
104 to DeVere Construction Company, Inc. for road improvements at Holly
Springs High School. This change order, in the amount of $804,924.42 is
for road improvements to Cass Holt and Avent Ferry Roads as required by
NC Department of Transportation. This is the second phase of the NC Department
of Transportation improvements for Cass Holt Road and Avent Ferry Road improvements;
first phase was $356,327.86. This change meets all Wake County Public School
System requirements. Any additional changes required by negotiations with
the Town of Holly Springs concerning the realignment of the Cass Holt/Avent
Ferry intersection will be paid by the Town of Holly Springs. The proposed
project budget is $41,871,865, of which $1,546,945 is from the PLAN 2000
School Building Program, $459,036 is from the Town of Holly Springs and
Wake County, $9,000 is from PLAN 2000 Modernization and $39,051,960 is from
PLAN 2004.
BOARD APPROVES PLAN 2004 SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAM RESOLUTION
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education approved a Resolution requesting
funds for the PLAN 2004 School Building Program previously approved by the
Board. This request will provide construction funds for Wendell Middle to
be reallocated to other PLAN 2004 needs. Total of this appropriation request
is $8,747,147. Appropriations for PLAN 2004 to date total $519,229,732.
The total PLAN 2004 appropriations including this request, equals $527,926,829.
BOARD APPROVES RESOLUTION TO REALLOCATE FUNDS TO NEW PROJECTS
At its March 21 meeting, the Board of Education approved a resolution requesting
reallocation of project funds from the PLAN 2004 projects at Heritage High
(H-2) site and Wendell Middle to Brier Creek and Harris Creek Elementary
Schools, Holly Springs and Panther Creek High Schools, and Program Contingency.
Total reallocation amount is $9,962,147. This reallocation is to fund: the
settlement agreement with the developer approved at the March 7, 2006 Board
meeting along with playground equipment at Brier Creek Elementary; playground
equipment and unanticipated site costs at Harris Creek Elementary; the roadway
improvements at Holly Springs High; unanticipated site costs at Panther
Creek High; and Program Contingency for future PLAN 2004 needs. Note that
both high schools used significant amounts of their contingency funds to
offset the initial bids being over budget. No additional appropriation of
funding is necessary.
-wcpss-
The School Construction Report is published electronically every other week for everyone interested in the Wake County Public School System. Is what you read in this edition helpful? What information would you like to see in future editions? Contact me by calling 850-1829 or e-mailing bposton@wcpss.net.
Bill Poston
Wake County Public School System
Communications Department
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
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