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.
May 18, 2006
BOARD APPROVES 2007-09 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
A capital improvement program that seeks to ease crowding in schools and
provide classrooms for thousands of additional children moving into Wake
County by 2010 was approved by the Board of Education May 16.
The $1.056 billion school construction plan will build 11 new elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. Additional capacity is created by converting some 20 to 25 traditional calendar elementary schools to multi-track year-round, adding ninth-grade centers for five high schools and adding 2,000 seats at middle schools by adding mobile units or converting traditional calendar middle schools to the multi- track year-round calendar. The plan will provide major renovation projects at East Millbrook Middle, Lynn Road Elementary, Aversboro Elementary, Martin Middle, East Wake High, Lacy Elementary, Root Elementary, Poe Elementary, Wilburn Elementary, Bugg Elementary Smith Elementary, Cary High and Enloe High, and minor projects such as roofing, boiler and carpet replacement at dozens of existing schools.
The board has been working for months in discussion of various phases of the capital improvement program. The board agreed to build larger schools, reduce some classroom spaces and increase use of multi-track, year-round calendar schools. Working with school administrators, the board analyzed and identified critical renovation needs for health and safety issues and addressed the needs of some of the school system's schools that have not been renovated in over 40 years.
The board's plan will convert enough elementary schools to the multi-track, year-round calendar to accommodate an additional 3,000 students with the understanding that the school system will make every effort to accommodate families for which the year-round calendar proves a hardship.
Later, the board will consider year-round policy issues, discuss ways to identify schools to be designated as year-round, and the timeline for conversion.
Converting schools to a multi-track year-round calendar allows a school to handle about 25 percent more students. Students are placed on one of four tracks with three tracks in session while one is on break. School administrators will work to identify the schools that can be most efficiently used and make year-round space available across the county.
The county commissioners will now make decisions on funding the school construction plan. Part of the funding for the plan will likely include general obligation bonds. Commissioners are likely to seek permission to sell bonds in a referendum November 7. If the referendum is not approved by voters, the school system would be faced with the possibility of needing to convert most elementary and middle schools to a multi track, year-round calendar and using split shifts at high schools; and it is likely that the county commissioners would issue certificates of participation to provide funding for high priority projects.
GROWTHCAST BEGINS ON WCPSS.NET
A new feature on the Wake County Public School System Website is the Weekly
GrowthCast. Each GrowthCast is a short (3 minutes or less) QuickTime video
covering some aspect of Wake County's record-setting growth and its impact
on the school system. Topics covered in the first few weeks include year-round
schooling, the lottery and school construction funding and construction
of multi-story schools.
Growthcast are part of the Growth Resource Center on wcpss.net that has background information on the growth of student enrollment and school construction issues.
BOARD APPROVES DESIGN CONSULTANT AGREEMENT FOR WAKEFIELD HIGH 9TH GRADE
CENTER
At its May 2 meeting, the Board of Education named Schenkel Shultz Architecture
for the conversion of a leased grocery building in Wake Forest into the
Wakefield High 9th Grade Center. The design consultant agreement with the
architect firm will be part of the school system's 2007 Crowding Solution.
Funding is available from the total project budget of $7,896,677, as provided
in the 2007 Crowding Solution. The total project budget includes proposed
compensation for the design consultant of $450,900.
BOARD APPROVES BIDS FOR MODULAR AT CARNAGE MIDDLE
At its May 2 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to Beau Chene Company in the amount of $107,800 for the site set-up of one
four-classroom modular complex for Carnage Middle. Funding is available
in the project budget of $4,635,000 for the leasing and set-up of one hundred
and three (103) mobile/modular classroom units, which are part of the $5,385,000
Crowding Solution Budget for 2006.
BOARD APPROVES BIDS FOR MODULAR AT HOLLY RIDGE MIDDLE
At its May 2 meeting, the Board of Education awarded a single-prime contract
to C. Blake Lewis Construction in the amount of $108,895 for the site set-up
of one six-classroom modular complex for Holly Ridge Middle. Funding is
available in the project budget of $4,635,000, for the leasing and set-up
of one hundred and three (103) mobile/modular classroom units, which are
part of the $5,385,000 Crowding Solution Budget for 2006.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR WAKELON ELEMENTARY
At its May 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change order No. GC-02
to Clancy & Theys Construction Company for their Construction Management
at Risk contract for construction of the new Wakelon Elementary in Zebulon.
This change order, in the amount of $4,196,194 is to establish a guaranteed
maximum price (GMP) for time sensitive packages, which are part of the 34
construction packages for this project. The GMP to date including this one
is $15,328,279. A change order will be brought to the May 16, 2006, Board
meeting to establish the final GMP for the total elementary school project.
The total proposed project budget is $21,550,638, of which $14,983,080 is
currently available from the PLAN 2004 School Building Program. An estimated
future reallocation of $6,567,558 from PLAN 2004 Program Contingency 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 (PERMANENT SITE)
At its May 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No. CM-02
to Clancy & Theys Construction Company for their Construction Management
at Risk contract for construction of the new Holly Grove Elementary in Holly
Springs. This change order, in the amount of $7,125,174 is to establish
a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the last of the work packages needed
to accomplish the construction of this project. The total of all GMPs is
$16,399,729. The total proposed project budget is $19,866,068, of which
$14,983,080 is currently available from the PLAN 2004 School Building Program.
A future reallocation of $4,882,988 is required from PLAN 2004 Program Contingency,
because of escalating construction costs; this reallocation will be presented
at the May 16, 2006, Board meeting.
-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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