Construction Continues on Eight Projects Funded by the 2016 Bond

LWSD is Building on Success  Although the February 2018 bond did not pass, construction continues for the eight projects funded by the April 2016 bond. Below are the updates on all of our projects.

Updates on projects

Clara Barton Elementary School - New Elementary School (North Redmond) Progress is being made on the New Elementary School in North Redmond. The project is now into its eighth month of construction. Everything is “under roof,” meaning that the roof is now on and the interior is protected from the weather. Drywall work is progressing inside the building. Windows are being installed. Much of the construction focus has shifted to the interior of the building as electrical, plumbing and mechanical components are assembled and anchored to the structure. Many of the mechanical systems for heating and ventilation have already been installed. While weather has been an issue (there has been over 36” of rain at the site since September), the project is on schedule. The school has chosen its name. Art the March 5 School Board Meeting, the Board unanimously approved the name Clara Barton Elementary School. Read more about the school name and process used to select the name. Clara Barton is best known for her humanitarian work. However, she began as a female teacher that fought for women to have equal rights to men in the workplace. She then joined the Civil War effort to provide care to soldiers through organizing methods of getting desperately needed supplies to soldiers on the front lines. She traveled from battle to battle, becoming known as the “Angel of the Battlefield.” In 1869, she went to Switzerland, where she worked to get the U.S. Congress to agree to the Geneva Convention. This agreement resulted in the formation of the Red Cross, and it asked nations to agree to protect medical personnel on the battlefield. The resulting American Red Cross provides relief for victims of epidemics and natural disasters. Her work helping people in times of war and times of peace made her an eternal symbol of humanitarianism. Clara Barton Elementary will focus on developing social-emotional and leadership skills in children through a school-wide approach to providing instruction and growth of the inter-disciplinary skills and attributes of the LWSD Student Profile. Barton Elementary will incorporate a service-learning project at each grade level to apply these skills in a project that serves our local or global community. Aerial photo by Tim Rice Photography.

Ella Baker Elementary School - New Elementary School (Redmond Ridge East) Progress is also being made on the New Elementary School in Redmond Ridge East. The project is in its eighth month of construction. The project has completed all underground infrastructure as well as the structural support of the building. Everything is “under roof” at that site, meaning that the new roof is now on and the interior is protected from the weather. Construction crews are working to make the building more weather-proof and exterior walls are still being placed. This project is also on schedule. The school has chosen its name. Art the March 5 School Board Meeting, the Board unanimously approved the name Ella Baker Elementary School. Read more about the school name and process used to select the name. Ella Baker was a hero of the Civil Rights Freedom Movement who inspired and guided emerging leaders such as Rosa Parks. She played a key role in some of the most influential organizations of all time, including the NAACP, Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. She believed in grassroots movement and she believed change happened by unlocking the power of every person. Her influence was reflected in her nickname "Fundi," a Swahili word meaning a person who teaches a craft to the next generation. She reached out to the young to help them find their voices and become their own advocates. She was a well-respected and influential leader in the fight for human and civil rights. She is ranked as one of the most important African-American leaders and perhaps the most influential woman in the Civil Rights Movement. She dedicated her life to service, which is a cornerstone of our school; allowing students to see a need in our society and empowering them to make a difference. Ella Baker Elementary will be an inclusive and nurturing environment that will develop students as global citizens through service-learning. Social-emotional learning, integrated with content knowledge, will encourage creative and critical problem solvers. Students at Baker Elementary will develop their character; empathy, grit, self-control, integrity, optimism and gratitude. They will learn to embrace diversity through enriching and integrated curriculum. Through service-learning projects and leadership opportunities, students will learn about themselves and how they can impact their school, their community and their world.             Aerial photo by Tim Rice Photography.

New Middle School - Redmond Ridge The New Middle School in Redmond Ridge project is also underway. Some exterior and interior structural walls have started being built. Steel construction of framework is complete. The last steel beam was placed at the site onDecember 28. You can watch the topping out video on YouTube.               "READ MORE" FOR THE OTHER SIX PROJECTS

Juanita High School The JHS project is in the permitting phase. We are expecting the construction phase to begin in April for the Juanita High School rebuild and enlarge project. The theatre will be demolished as well as a number of classrooms. An additional 10 portable classrooms will be added to the west side of the campus. This starts Phase 2 of the new school construction. This summer, an additional portable will be placed at the site to be used as a teacher planning space for the teachers located on the west side of the campus. Aerial photo by Tim Rice Photography.

Peter Kirk Elementary School The Peter Kirk Elementary rebuild project is nearing the permitting phase of the project. The district will work with the City of Kirkland to obtain a conditional use/land use permit before we submit for the building permit. Then we can start construction. Demolition will begin on the two houses the district has obtained near the school. This demolition is separate from the school. Construction crews will start some geothermal digging and site work over spring break. Major work will begin over the summer. Kirk Elementary will hold a Groundbreaking event on Friday, March 30 at 11 a.m. You can watch the event live on the LWSD Facebook page.

Margaret Mead Elementary School LWSD just submitted its conditional use/land use permit for the Mead Elementary School project. These permits must be in place before the school can submit for the building permit. This project is running parallel to the Kirk project. The district is using the same contractor as for both the Kirk and Mead projects as part of the General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) process. This process utilizes the contractor as part of the design process, and allows the district to design a school that can be easily built. Doing these two projects in parallel using the GC/CM process helps us to save costs. The Mead project is on schedule for work to begin this spring. Mead Elementary held a Groundbreaking event on Wednesday, March 28 at 9 a.m. You can watch a replay of the event on the LWSD Facebook page.

Explorer Community School The Explorer Community School project was open to students in Fall 2017. Final closeout of the project is expected by May 2018. Students and teachers are pleased to be in their new space.

Old Redmond Schoolhouse The Old Redmond School House project is in the design phase. This site will house a preschool center and will open in fall 2019. The City of Redmond is leasing the space through May. Once the lease is up, the district will begin preparing the building for construction.

Have a question about a bond project? Let's Talk! Have a question about any of these projects? Ask us through our "Let's Talk" system. This system allows you to share comments or ask questions to members of our team.

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