Natrona County School District Facilities

Cottonwood progress

2008-10-08T13:46:00.000-06:00

Poison Spider progress

2008-10-08T13:36:00.002-06:00

New pics from Fort Caspar Academy

2008-03-24T09:16:00.002-06:00

Park Elementary School

2008-03-17T11:01:00.000-06:00

Negotiations with the Carey Family Trust, the City of Casper and the 12-24 Club continue in an effort to acquire property around the existing Park Elementary School.

The Wyoming School Facilities Commission and the district are reviewing 2009-10 funding for all schools, and the schedule for this project will be established pending SFC and legislative approval.

Pineview Elementary School

2008-03-17T11:00:00.001-06:00

A survey has been completed for the property surrounding the existing Pineview Elementary School, and the Wyoming School Facilities Commission is working with the Wyoming School for the Deaf on an agreement to use the property for the new Pineview Elementary School.

The SFC and the district are reviewing 2009-10 funding for all schools, and a schedule for this project will be established pending SFC and legislative approval.

Poison Spider

2008-03-17T10:58:00.006-06:00

Construction of the new Poison Spider School is 16 percent complete. Construction is about 30 days behind schedule due to weather, though the construction manager is reviewing options to catch up.

The structural pad for the building is in progress, as are concrete footing and foundation wall construction, steel column, beam and joist installation and exterior masonry and wall framing.

The expected completion/occupancy date is January 2009.

Mills-Mountain View Elementary School

2008-03-17T10:56:00.003-06:00

A property on the west side of the Town of Mills is being negotiated for purchase by the Wyoming School Facilities Commission. The district will need to complete geotechnical, archeological and environmental site studies prior to final purchase.

The SFC and district are reviewing 2009-2010 funding for al schools, and a schedule for this project will be established pending SFC and legislative approval.

Cottonwood Elementary School

2008-03-17T10:54:00.002-06:00

Masonry walls are under construction, with installation of steel columns, beams and second floor joists under way. Concrete wall installation started Feb. 28, and exterior wall framing begins this month.

Construction is about 28 percent complete and moving on schedule. The expected completion date for the school id December 2008.

Evansville Elementary School

2008-03-17T10:52:00.002-06:00

A land swap agreement with the Town of Evansville is being review, and a new plat has been submitted to the Town.

The Wyoming School Facilities Commission and the district are currently reviewing 2009-10 funding for all schools, and a schedule for the Evansville project will be established pending SFC and legislative approval.

CY Middle School

2008-03-17T10:49:00.002-06:00

The Wyoming School Facilities Commission has accepted the location for the new CY Middle School in the Mesa #2 subdivision. Site studies and site purchase agreements are in progress. The second reading and approval for the subdivision by the Casper City Council was March 4. The final approval is scheduled for May.

The 10 percent design value engineering meeting with the Wyoming School Facilities Commission was Feb. 26. The 35 percent design is scheduled for May 20.

Design is on schedule for construction to begin in late summer 2008, with move-in tentatively planned for July of 2010.

Fort Caspar Academy

2008-03-17T10:47:00.003-06:00

Construction of the new Fort Caspar Acdaemy is 88 percent complete. Permanent power installation is complete, and roof construction is nearly complete. Painting and finishing is under way, as is ceramic tile and flooring installation and cabinet installation. Commissioning of mechanical and electrical systems is scheduled for April.

The district plans to move in to the new building in July-August 2008.

New bid schedule released

2007-12-10T09:14:00.002-07:00

Contractors, find a new bid schedule here.

Cottonwood site

2007-12-10T09:14:00.001-07:00

Fort Caspar Academy

2007-12-10T09:13:00.001-07:00

NCSD News Briefing

2007-11-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

SFC looks at more than construction

School facilities are about much more than buildings, the executive director of the Wyoming School Facilities Commission said Monday.

Ken Daraie joined the Natrona County School District board of trustees for a work session Monday evening to discuss progress toward new school construction policies and practices in the state.

In Daraie's recent tenure with the SFC, the agency has steadily moved away from strict construction guidelines to focus more on building for educational function. Daraie's statements Monday night explained further progress toward that end.

"As you would suspect, as I suspected, the actual school building part has turned out to be not so difficult," Daraie said. "The tough part in all this is still the function within."

He explained that the SFC eliminated any reference to "prototype" schools at its last meeting, allowing schools more freedom to design educational space to fit programs.

"Previously, at the state level, we had very rigid design standards … the classic core gym and office space, and classrooms coming off a double-loaded hallway.
"They meant well. The idea was to control costs, make it faster, easier. But it didn't work out that way. Every site is different and it didn't save time or money."

Now the SFC will allow for a basic footprint for a new school a total square footage based on student population. Schools are free to design inside that footprint, and the SFC is encouraging new processes to push that design to focus on future-oriented, educational suitability.

The newest process, for example, is the design charette, such as one recently held for CY Middle School in Casper.

"It's a process for designing better schools, more functional and purposeful schools, and trying to bridge the gap between form and function," he said. "CY was the first guinea pig for that process, and I think it was very successful.

"We talked a great deal at CY about what we are designing for, what a child is supposed to experience at the middle level, because until you answer that, well …"

(Read more about the CY design charette in the December issue of News Zone, published in print and online Dec. 5.)

Daraie also said that the move away from prototypes also will allow communities to be more creative in their partnerships and designs. For example, he said, there now is discussion of including community centers in new Evansville and Mills-Mountain View schools.

"That is just enough of a change to alter it to where a prototype wouldn't necessarily work," Daraie said. "So that concept (of prototypes) is gone."

In other news, Daraie also said work is under way to improve processes and provide districts with assistance in land acquisition for new schools -- particularly during Wyoming's boom economy period when prices have skyrocketed -- and to work through a pending contract at the state level with Applied Minds Inc., which is working with the Natrona County School District to explore the future of secondary education.

Board approves Cottonwood bid

The board of trustees on Monday accepted a maximum bid for Cottonwood Elementary School construction. The bid of $14,575,513 from Haselden Construction includes all previously approved bid packages for the school project, as well as the district contingency for the project.

Board OKs bid awards, hears reports

2007-10-08T09:10:00.000-06:00

On Monday, the board approved a $127,720 bid from Northwestern electric of Casper to replace fire alarm systems at Midwest School; a $74,889 bid from City Services Electric of Casper to replace fire alarm systems at North Casper Elementary School; and a $39,000 bid from Superior Balance of Fort Collins to complete mechanical and electrical system commissioning at Fort Caspar Academy.

The board also heard a report for Associate Superintendent of Facilities Mark Antrim on the differences between construction process (design-build, design-bid-build and construction-manager-at-risk) and a report from the Parent Community Advisory Council on recent activities.

Ground broken at Poison Spider School

2007-09-26T09:09:00.000-06:00

Ground was broken today at the new Poison Spider School site, which will be located just to the west of the current site.

Construction of the new school will begin the beginning of October, and is expected to be complete toward the end of 2008.

Poison Spider School is a K-8 school.

Ground broken at Cottonwood Elementary site

2007-09-20T09:09:00.000-06:00

Ground was broken today at the new Cottonwood Elementary School site, which will be located on the former McKinley School site, at Cottonwood and 15th streets. Currently, Cottonwood is housed at the existing Westwood site.

Construction of the new school will begin the beginning of October, and is expected to be complete toward the end of 2008.

Cottonwood Elementary is a PreK-5 school.

Paradise Valley gets new playground

2007-09-13T09:07:00.000-06:00

Recess has a whole new meaning for PV students, thanks to fun new playground equipment!

The equipment was purchased through fundraising activities by the Paradise Valley PTO. The Facilities Operations staff assisted in the installation and project coordination. The cost of the materials was in excess of $24,000.

Another playground equipment project was recently completed at Oregon Trail and additional playground projects that have been approved and funded by the State of Wyoming Facilities Commission include Sagewood, Bar Nunn, Southridge, Alcova, North Casper, Powder River and Red Creek.

Site chosen for new CY Middle School

2007-08-17T13:45:00.000-06:00

The CY Site Selection Committee this week chose property in the Mesa #2 Subdivision for the home of the new CY Middle School.

Preliminary studies indicate that the site is appropriate for a new school. Further studies are planned, however, before the property is purchased. The next steps in the process will include a traffic study through the City of Casper, a drainage study, appraisals of the property, a review from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and an environmental and archaeological survey.

In the meantime, the district and representatives from the school community are moving forward with the architect to begin preliminary design work. Design funding already has been approved by the Wyoming School Facilities Commission, and funding for construction is expected to be included in the SFC’s budget request to the Legislature this spring.

The anticipated move-in date for the new school is Fall 2010.

Other sites that had been considered by the selection committee included the site of the current Fort Caspar Academy, which will be vacated when FCA’s new building is complete next fall, and the Natrona County Fairgrounds. A proposal to move the fairground to property near the Casper Events Center and locate a junior high and high school campus on the existing site is still being discussed by district, city, county and fair officials, but it would be a long-term plan that would not meet CY’s construction schedule.

The Mesa #2 site is located on the east side of Wyoming Boulevard, across from the Wolf Creek Subdivision. The developer of Mesa #2 expects to develop commercial properties along Wyoming Boulevard, with residential neighborhoods surrounding the school site. Access would be through eastward extensions of Eagle Drive and Talon Drive. (A map is attached.)

Site selection committee members who participated in the final decision included: CY staff members Dean Braughton, Debbie Bovie, Michael Jennings, Rocky Phillips and Patsy Medinger; parent Joe Meyer; school board members Linda Nix and Steve Degenfelder; NCSD staff members Dennis Bay, Scott Honken; superintendent Jim Lowham; Ken Field of RB&B Architects; April Getchius of the City of Casper; Dave LaPlante of the SFC; and Lindsay Donaldson of NCSD’s construction management firm, Heery International.

Evansville land swap still on the table

2007-08-02T12:38:00.000-06:00

The July update concerning Evansville Elementary School contained inaccurate information.

The Natrona County School District continues to work on a possible land swap with the city of Evansville, while also investigating other site options for the replacement school.

The incorrect information has been removed from the July update. We regret the error.

New Star Lane pictures!

2007-07-27T15:01:00.000-06:00

New FCA pictures!

2007-07-27T14:58:00.000-06:00

Coming soon!

2007-07-19T08:22:00.000-06:00

The Natrona County School District is in the process of filming a "VIDEO FAQ" about its multimillion dollar capital construction program.

Please check back soon for more information on this project, and to see the first of many ongoing updates!

Star Lane - July update

2007-07-19T08:20:00.001-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

The contractor is ahead of schedule at Star Lane and may be able to finish in time for a Fall 2007 opening in August. The construction schedule anticipates move-in August 26-27.

At present, the metal wall framing and brick veneer is complete, and drywall installation is continuing this month.

The project is under budget.

Poison Spider - July update

2007-07-19T08:17:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

The architect is preparing documents for construction of the new Poison Spider School, and a structural bid package may be issued for an early construction start.

The school is expected to be ready for move-in in October 2008.

Mills-Mountain View -- July update

2007-07-19T08:13:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

Property appraisals are in process for the site chosen by the site selection committee. The project now is planned to be completed in Fall 2009, as the Wyoming School Facilities Commission will request funding for it during the 2008 state budget cycle.

Cottonwood - July update

2007-07-19T08:08:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

Demolition of McKinley Elementary School is complete, and the 35 percent design evalutation is finished.

The architect is working on an early structural bid package to try to get construction started early, because design delays have pushed the expected completion date of the school to October 2008. The district hoped to open the school in Fall of 2008.

The current cost estimate for construction also came in about $2.5 million above budget for the project.

Central Services - July update

2007-07-19T08:06:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

Work in the board room at the Central Services Facility has been extended to accommodate the scope of work requested. the board room is expected to re-open in late September with additional AV equipment, furniture and paint, in addition to the HVAC installation currently in progress.

Meanwhile, the Print Shop is near completion, and staff members have moved into the new space.

Evansville -- July update

2007-07-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

NCSD continues to work on a possible land swap with the city of Evansville, while also investigating site options including NCSD property near the existing school.

Site selection must proceed this month to maintain the planned opening date of Fall 2009. A school design concept also must be agreed on in the next 60 days before an architect can be hired and work can proceed.

CY Junior High -- July update

2007-07-19T07:55:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

Design funding for CY has been approved by the Wyoming School Facilities Commission, and architectural fees are being negotiated. Construction funding for the project will be requested through the SFC in 2008.

At present, site selection is delayed, while the district works with the city and county on the potential sites being investigated by the site selection committee. The design process is also delayed during this period, but neither delay is expected to impact the anticipated Fall 2010 opening date.

Fort Caspar Academy -- July update

2007-07-19T07:51:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a July update on projects in progress.

Work at Fort Caspar Academy is about 30 days behind schedule, though the anticipated opening in August 2008 is not threatened. The contractor is bringing in extra staff to concrete and masonry crews to increase progress at the site.

At present, about 70 percent of foundation grade beam construction is complete, and about 30 percent of slab on deck construction is finished. Storm sewer utilities are in progress, and masonry walls are being installed.

Star Lane nears completion

2007-07-09T08:09:00.000-06:00

FCA staff visit new school

2007-06-19T11:02:00.001-06:00

Progress continues at Star Lane

2007-06-14T15:23:00.001-06:00

NCSD requests proposals for mechanical, electrical commissioning

2007-06-14T13:27:00.001-06:00

Natrona County School District #1 is soliciting proposals for professional mechanical and electrical commissioning services for Ft. Caspar Academy, as defined in the attached scope of work #01650 and specifications #15995 and #16995.

The new Ft. Caspar Academy is 63,140 square feet; a one-story masonry structure with a production kitchen. Project is currently under construction, and approximately 20% complete.

Interested firms may obtain a copy of the Request for Proposal documents between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time from Natrona County School District, Facilities Operations, 1038 North Glenn road, Casper, WY 82601; contact Bonnie Dickinson at 303.577.4417, or via email at bonnie_dickinson@ncsd.k12.wy.us. The Request for Proposal outlines the documentation required for submitting proposals.

Proposal must be received by Natrona County School District, 1038 North Glenn Road, Casper, WY 82601 no later than 3:00 p.m., local time, on Friday, July 6, 2007. The school name and submittal date must appear on the outside of all proposals submitted. Any firm failing to submit its proposal in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Request for Proposal may be considered non-responsive.

Questions should be addressed to Lindsay Donaldson, Heery International, 1038 North Glenn Road, Casper, WY 82601, fax (307) 577.4428, or via email at Lindsay_donaldson@ncsd.k12.wy.us. All questions must be received no later than 3:00 p.m., local time, on Friday, June 29, 2007.

Proposals will be evaluated based on professional qualifications, quality of services rendered and fee. The District reserves the right to accept any, or to reject any or all Proposals, to waive any informality in a Proposal, or to negotiate with Offerors.

All costs incurred by firms choosing to participate in this RFP process shall be borne by the proposing firms.

June update - Star Lane Center

2007-06-12T09:03:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, foundation and slab on grade are complete, as are structural framing, roof joists and desking. Brick veneer and drywall installation will begin this month.

The contractor is ahead of schedule, and construction is now expected to be complete Aug. 20.

The architect on the project is Amundsen Associates, and the contractor is Pope Construction.

June update - Poison Spider

2007-06-12T09:02:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, contractor selection is under way, as is design work through Anderson mason Dale Architects. Construction is expected to be completed in December 2008.

June update - Mills-Mountain View

2007-06-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, a site has been selected for the new combination Mills-Mountain View school, and contractor selection is under way. Design is expected to begin this summer, with construction tentatively scheduled to start in August 2008. The tentative move-in date for the new school is January 2010.

June update - Cottonwood

2007-06-12T08:55:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, demolition is nearly complete at the McKinley Elementary School site. Haselden Construction has been selected as the Construction Manager At Risk and is in the process of developing a schedule for construction.

Substantial completion of the new Cottonwood Elementary School is expected by October 2008.

The architect on the project is GSG Architecture.

June update - Central Services Facility

2007-06-12T08:53:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, Phase 3 of the remodel of the Central Services Facility is under way. Phase 3 involves new HVAC, wiring and ceiling work in the board room at CSF. Work is expected to continue through July.

The architect on the project is Amundsen Associates, and the contractor is Pope Construction.

June update - Evansville Elementary School

2007-06-12T08:52:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, the land swap arrangement between the district and the City of Evansville is near completion, and contractor selection is under way. Design is expected to start this summer, with construction scheduled to begin in June 2008. Move-in is estimated in the fall of 2009.

June update -- CY Middle School

2007-06-12T08:49:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

Site selection is near completion, and site negotiations are under way. Design is expected to begin in August 2007, construction is expected to start in June 2008, and move-in is tentatively planned for June 2010.

The architect for the project is RB+B Architecture of Fort Collins, CO. The contractor is to be determined.

June update - Fort Caspar Academy

2007-06-12T08:45:00.000-06:00

Heery International provided the Natrona County School District's Board of Trustees with a June update on projects in progress.

According to the report, Fort Caspar Academy grade beam installation continues through this month and masonry continues until October 2007. Underground utility construction activities are progressing, as are site electrical service and underground rough-in activities. Water and sewer utilities are near completion. Floor decks and masonry walls are being installed in areas C and B.

Substantial completion of the project is expected by June 15, 2008, and move-in is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2008.

The architect for the FCA project is Sandstrom Associates, and the contractor is Sletten Construction of Wyoming.

Facilities plan gets first look

2007-06-12T08:37:00.000-06:00

The Natrona County School District Board of Trustees got a first look at the district’s 2007 Facilities Plan, which will be submitted to the Wyoming School Facilities Commission by June 29.

The plan provides a framework for moving forward with the construction of schools that already have received design funding, as well as for requesting funding for design of three more new elementary schools in the Casper area.

“The plan is built around the idea of ‘Let’s bring to fruition the projects we already have design dollars for,’” explained Mark Antrim, associate superintendent of Facilities and Technology. “The SFC is going to go to the Legislature for more money and needs to be able to say, ‘Please are spending their money and getting their buildings built; that’s what this is all about.’”

The plan includes:
* Construction funds for a replacement of CY Junior High School. Design and property acquisition already has been funded.
* Construction funds for a replacement of Evansville Elementary School. Design already is funded.
* Property acquisition and construction for a new Park Elementary School, as well as demolition of the current school once new construction is complete. Design of the school already is funded.
* Construction of a new Pineview Elementary School. Design already is funded.
* Property acquisition for a new high school site, as well as construction of the new school.
* Property acquisition, design and site development for a new Manor Heights Elementary School.
* Design and construction of an additional wing of Sagewood Elementary school.
* Design and construction of an additional wing of Bar Nunn Elementary School.
* Property acquisition, design and site development for two new elementary schools – one on the east side of town and one on the west side.
* Property acquisition for a replacement elementary school, to be identified at a later date.
* Studies of Natrona County and Kelly Walsh high school needs.
* Renovation of the district’s facility operations facility and central services facility.
* Support staff, which could include six positions – some that already exist. “The SFC is really coming through,” Antrim said.

Antrim noted that all plans will be contingent on funding from the Legislature through the SFC.

CSF board room closes for work

2007-06-07T08:48:00.000-06:00

Remodeling work on the board room at the Central Services Facility is under way. The board room will be closed from June 4 to July 31 for this work. Look for more meetings in the new Organizational Development space.

And check back soon for pictures of the remodeling work!

Up go the walls

2007-06-06T20:36:00.000-06:00

The new Fort Casper Academy is starting to look like a real building June 6, 2007.

McKinley demolition nearly complete

2007-06-06T14:26:00.001-06:00

Two possible sites chosen for CY

2007-05-29T09:15:00.000-06:00

These conceptual layouts were drawn for two potential sites for a new CY Junior High School. The potential sites, identified by the Site Selection Committee for the project, are the existing Fort Casper Academy site and the Mesa #2 subdivision off of Wyoming Boulevard.

For more information, call NCSD Program Manager Lindsay Donaldson, of Heery International, at 577-4418.

McKinley demolition is under way

2007-05-24T14:03:00.000-06:00

Crews are working to demolish the old McKinley Elementary School to make room for the new Cottonwood Elementary School.

Pouring the beams

2007-04-29T14:51:00.000-06:00

Construction teams pour the first grade beams at the FCA site in April 2007.

McKinley-Westwood gets new name, new home

2007-04-20T14:01:00.000-06:00

Cottonwood Elementary School is the recently selected name for the new elementary school replacing McKinley Elementary School and Westwood Elementary School. The new school will be built on the site of the existing McKinley ES and will have an address of 1230 W. 15th Street. Students from McKinley ES were moved to Westwood ES to facilitate construction of the new school.

The new Cottonwood ES is planned to be a Pre-K to 5th grade, three unit school with approximately 300 students. The building is currently in design and will be a 60,000 sf, 2-story masonry building with approx 26 classrooms. New playgrounds, fields, and parking lots will be provided on the site as well. Three adjacent residential properties were purchased to provide additional room on the site for the improvements.

Work has begun on site with asbestos abatement getting started on April 2nd. Demolition of the existing buildings will follow completion of the abatement and be finished by mid June.

A Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) is being selected to construct the new school. Interviews of prospective firms were held on April 18. The firms that interviewed are the following:

Caspar / Pope Joint Venture from Mills, WY
Adolfson & Peterson Construction from Aurora, CO
Haselden Construction, LLC from Centennial, CO
Groathouse Construction, Inc. from Casper, WY

School Board approval of a selected firm could occur as early as Monday, April 23.

Star Lane construction gets going

2007-03-15T08:51:00.000-06:00

A new Star Lane Center is under construction at 1400 Fairdale Avenue, the site of the old Fairdale School.

The facility will combine 5,317 square feet of the existing Fairdale school and 5,070 square feet of a new building construction.

The new addition features driller piers and grade beam foundation, structural steel frame, brick and metal panel exterior with a membrane roof.

Construction started in March of 2007 and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2007.

Piers, casings and rebar cages

2007-03-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Crews work to drill piers and place casings and rebar cages at the FCA site Feb. 27, 2007.

CSF undergoes targeted remodeling

2007-03-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

This spring, portions of the Central Services Facility were remodeled to make new spaces for Back On Track (formerly the Alternative Learning Center) and the Safe Schools Suspension Lab, as well as new offices for some district programs.

On Feb. 23, the classroom spaces sat ready for students. SSSL is marked with green walls, and Back On Track has orange walls. Organizational Development has moved into their new offices, and the Print Shop is in the final stages of being remodeled for the Print Shop. (Watch for those pictures soon!)

Excavation begins at new Fort Caspar Academy

2007-02-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Fort Caspar Academy is expected to move into its new home in the Wolf Creek Subdivision in August 2008.

Crews began excavating early in February 2007.