Best In Class

Elementary Center Update

bzimmerman — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 19:09:53 +0000

The K-5 elementary project is moving slowly and thoughtfully through the schematic design phase. You can see the latest renderings of the interior design on the attachment. Architects are meeting now with specific stakeholder groups (i.e. each department) to identify the specific needs and opportunities for their new spaces.

The board is now accepting proposals from construction management companies to become the construction managers for the elementary center. This project is slated to go to bid in the late spring of 2023 with completion expected by the start of the 2025-26 school year.

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Bus Garage Project Update

bzimmerman — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 18:59:22 +0000

The bus garage project is also progressing on schedule. There is a significant amount of dirt we have to move to make room for a new water retention system under the parking lot. Take a look at the pictures to get a sense of the scale of the excavation. This project is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving of this year. We will have some very happy bus drivers.

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Independence Middle School Update

bzimmerman — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:05:44 +0000

The Board of School Directors toured the ongoing renovation work at Independence Middle School this week, which included touring the completed office and guidance suite as well as checking-in on the construction work in the sixth-grade wing. Those classroom spaces and Large Group Instruction are expected to be completed in early November. At that point, the seventh-grade classes on the second floor will move down to into the new rooms so the contractors can start renovating the seventh-grade rooms. This $42 million project, renovating and modernizing the entire IMS building, is expected to be completed at the end of the 2023 calendar year. We look forward to a new building with all new mechanical systems, windows, finishes, and a 21st-century library and STEAM spaces. To see it when it is all done, you will think we built an entirely new school!

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Draw Collective Architectural Plans

Matthew Polaski — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:54:21 +0000

Here are the handouts from the August 9, 2022 presentation from Draw Collective, the architectural firm working on the designs for the elementary center. This information shares the site plan and the general scheme for the interior spaces.

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Elementary Center Update

Matthew Polaski — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 19:01:19 +0000

The School District has been engaged in a series of good faith discussions with the property owners at 5631 Kings School Rd, Bethel Park, PA 15102 for the past several months about acquiring that land for an access road to the new elementary center.

The new access point off Kings School Road would complement existing access points on Murray and Boyer Avenues to help limit traffic disruptions to the community and shorten student commute times. It is important to note that at this time the district does not plan to build any new structures on the land it seeks to acquire.

Talks continue with the property owners and district officials remain optimistic that an amicable agreement can be reached.

The elementary center is a key component of BPSD’s long-term strategic plan which promises 21st Century learning opportunities for its students in a safe, secure and collaborative environment. Residents are encouraged to follow its progress and the renovation of Independence Middle School through a special website dedicated to the projects. Click here to see Bethel Park School District’s Master Facilities Plan.

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IMS Progress Update

Matthew Polaski — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 18:39:38 +0000

The Board met on July 11 th for a Facilities Committee Meeting of the Whole. At this meeting, our construction management firm, SiteLogIQ, provided an update on the progress of the work at IMS. We are pleased that supply-chain issues are not negatively affecting this project, which means we are on schedule. When students return in late August, the main office and new secure vestibule will be completed. Several temporary classrooms will be ready as “swing space” to relocate teachers and classrooms while their rooms are being renovated. The first-floor academic classrooms will be ready in late October.

The Board also heard from the Hayes Design Group about the plans for the second and larger phase of work for IMS. The goal is to begin phase two immediately after the phase 1 is completed in the late fall. Altogether, the $42 million project at IMS project will completely modernize the facility and enhance the academic spaces. We will improve security and technology and provide a new look to the fifty-plus year-old building. The architects from Draw Collective updated the Board on the plans for the elementary project. At this point, the work is focused on quantity and size allotment for each specific kind of space we would need in a state-of-the-art educational facility.

Finally, the Board hired a new Director of Facilities, Mr. Ryan Quinn. Ryan, a Bethel Park resident, comes to us from a facilities management position at Kennywood Park. While he has a lot to catch-up on, we are glad he’s on our team, and we welcome him to this important position for the school district.

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Independence Middle School Photo Updates

abridge — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 03:18:05 +0000

Here are some good photos of the work starting at Independence Middle School.

Sixth grade hallway looking back toward library

Temporary classrooms going into the library

Demolition of old office entrance

Main office demolition

Main entrance and lobby

“Test” of the planned treatment of the outdoor brick as labeled by the duct tape. The bricks were cleaned and stained. The bottom three rows of bricks have the full treatment. The top three have only be cleaned. Middle rows have only one coat of stain.

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Elementary Center Vote

abridge — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 03:10:31 +0000

At their Facilities Committee Meeting on May 8, 2022, the board voted unanimously to construct a new K-5 elementary center on the property at Neil Armstrong Middle School. This means we will eventually close NAMS and all five elementary buildings. We are already renovating Independence Middle School and will move 6th grade back to IMS.

Advantages

Renovation costs associated with updating the five elementary schools and NAMS would be eliminated.
Significant staffing costs for the District will be reduced due to the consolidation into one K-5 center
The New K-5 Elementary Center would better establish equity among students and level loading in class sizes.
Future full-time Kindergarten could be designed into the plans for the building.
No other building additions would be required at NAMS or IMS to support the new grade configurations.
Streamlined scheduling for music department
Combined resources for more and higher-quality curricular offerings
Common planning time for grade level teachers; increased opportunities for sharing expertise
Shared staffing to increase related services (counseling, OT, PT)
Students transition to 3 different buildings in their K-12 experience
Opportunities for academic acceleration up to grade 5
Sharing of robotics and digital fabrication tools in makerspaces/media centers
Libraries would have vast Lexile offerings
Curricular consistency & continuity

Disadvantages:

The five elementary school buildings currently provide recreational space for after-hours activities through the use of the playfields, gymnasiums, and multi-purpose rooms that would be eliminated if buildings are closed and sold.
A new District-Wide K-5 Elementary Center will have a large initial cost.
Loss of instructional time due to increased transition time
Less personal atmosphere
Decreased individual attention for students
Sheer size and volume of materials needed in shared spaces (libraries, labs, etc.) in order to accommodate a broad range of students (step stools, heights of water fountains, etc)
Priority of “middle shelf”/high traffic eye space for shared centers/locations

Summary of Financial Impact:

Total Construction Cost: $95,000,000
Annual Financing Cost (total debt service): $6,000,000
Conceptual Cost Savings: $3,250,000 to $3,500,000 annually
Net Costs to Operating Budget: $2,500,000 to $3,000,000 additional

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First Phase of Middle School Renovation Begins

abridge — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 03:07:07 +0000

We are excited to report the first phase of the Independence Middle School renovation started today. This phase focuses on two areas: the main office / entrance and the first floor classroom wing, which will house the sixth grade beginning in 2025. Work is expected to last until October, at which point, we hope to move immediately into phase two.

Contractors will be working on the second shift during the school year, so there will be no interaction with students and staff during the school day. Once summer comes, the building will be closed to visitors and staff. The administration and office staff will be working out of Neil Armstrong Middle School through August 19th.

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What Did We Learn?

abridge — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 03:06:43 +0000

After months of analysis and hours of discussions about our facilities, what did we learn? We are now crystal clear about the objectives we seek in our Facilities Master Plan:

Update or replace our aging school facilities.
Right-size the district’s schools.
Achieve equity in class sizes across elementary classrooms.
Improve educational quality through facilities and infrastructure improvements in conjunction with instructional and curricular improvements.
Do all of this is a fiscally-responsible way.

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