On Wednesday, April 6, the Wayne County School Board met at the district office to discuss a one-item agenda. Superintendent Randy Shelley reported on a meeting he had with VCBO Architecture. VCBO wants to do a facilities utilization study on the needs of the new high school.
This study looks at how the middle and high schools are currently used and designs a building based on those needs. For instance, the architects could design smaller classrooms to accommodate subjects with fewer students. Teachers would have their own office pod as opposed to a set classroom. The firm has designed buildings for other schools that have increased building utilization from an average of 65% up to 95%.
The plan to maximize building utilization will decrease the potential square footage that is needed. The firm can also draw up plans to accompany study findings and present a plan to the public. This gives the district a head start in designing when time is in short supply.
Since building the new facilities is dependent on the district being ready to apply for state funds as soon as the state committee is assembled, it is important to have a complete proposal ready when needed.
VCBO committed to have the project go to bid in December, 2022, and understands the time constraints the district is running under. Because VCBO is on the state list of vendors who can do work for schools for up to $100,000 without the schools creating a Request for Bid, this plan saves time in that regard. VCBO is also a well-known name in the state K-12 design field. The board approved expenditures up to $100,000 for VCBO to begin the study and designs.
– The Byway
Read other WSD news in Letter: Wayne County School District Happenings.