Sterling Bond Info 10-14

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PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Sterling High Sehool
The Sterling High School project is reeeiving $Zz.g million for a new facility for r,6oo-r,8oo
students. Sterling is an aviation magnet school, so the design includes an aviation hangar lab
that will be adjacent to the main entrance. The project includes the construction of a new facility,
surface parking, and athletic fields, followed by the demolition of the existing buildings. The
project is currently under construction with the anticipated completion of the new building early
third quarter 2oL6, and ready for classes in January 2017.

PAT KEY INFLUENCERS:
Sterling High School

. Justin Fuentes, principal
. Rev. A.L. Hickman, community rep
. Craig Johnson, community rep

*Thesesummaries,providedbyprojectmanagersandcurrentasof Sept. 15,2O15,
are a quick overview of each project's status and community engagement issues.

2OI2 HOUSTON SCHooLS BoNo I lIttI a

I

Sterling High School

HISD School Board Trustee:
Paula M. Harris

)Amount that would ) What's proposed

be spent in 2012 bond: New school that will accommodate
l-,600-1,800 students
572,304,000
) Elementary feeder pattern
) District-wide upgrades*
Alcott, Codwell, Cornelius, De Anda, Frost, Garden
S1OO million for technology Villas, Gregg, Law, Lewis/Bellfort, Mading, Mitchell,

upgrades Seguin

@ $qq.l million to improve ) Middle school feeder pattern
athletic facilities
SgS million to renovate Hartman, Thomas

6D middle school restrooms

@ $rz.g million for safety
and security upgrades

Additiona I information
r Voter registration is open - the deadline to register is oct. g,20tz.
r Early voting begins Oct.22 and ends Nov. 2; the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.
r For more information about the 2012 bond proposal, visit houstonisd.orgl2lt2bond.
r lf you have questions about the bond, email [email protected].

*555.7 million to purchose land to expond parking

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KEY FACTS
Budget
$72,304,000

t- Trustee

Paula Harris
,l

Location
11525 Martindale Rd

STERLING HIGH SCHOOL

Sterling High School, constructed in'1965, consistsof five main school buildings. The
Vanguard neighborhood school offers specialized programs such as Marketing, Aviation
Sciences, community-based vocationa I I nstruction, and speech therapy.

SCOPE OF WORK

New schoolfor 1,600 - 1,800 students.

PROJECT STATUS
Building slab complete and erection of tilt wall panels underway.

TARGET SCHEDULE

PROJECT PHASE 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Planning
Design

Construction
Target Opening

! Completed ! ln Progr"rt ! s.h.drl"d Continued Site Development

* This information is updated quarterly and reflects progress through the 2nd quarter of 2015.

v

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STERLING HS STAKEHOLDERS SIGN BEAM TO CELEBBATE CONSTRUCTION PHASE

September 18, 201 5 - Sterling High School students, staff and community members had the

opportunity to sigin a steel beam today that will be used in the construction of their new
school. The new $72.3 million building project, which is part of HISD's current bond
program, is being built behind the existing facility, which will be demolished once

construction is complete.
T'he new tl[ee-story building is making great progress and can now easily be seen over the
top of the current school.
"Our conrmunity is ecstatic; the building's going up fast," said the Rev. A.L. Hickman,
community representative on the school's Project Advisory Team. "I know people who go
out of their way to drive by here every day just to see the progress that's been made."
After the beam-signing, which was held in front of the crrrent school, workers transported it

to the construction site, where they will soon install it in the new building.

NEW PHOGRAMS, NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW OPPORTUNITIES AT STERLING HS

August 26,20J5 -- Students at H SchooI are greeting the new school year with

excitement, ener(ry, and optimism. The school's new principal, Justin Fuentes, is enthusiastic

about his school's programs and the opportunities it offers students.

Besides Sterling's resident aviation progtam and an aviation engineering and designing

proqnam tluough theMichigan Institute of Aviation Technologry, it also offers a Futures

Academy in logistics and global supply chain managemenl, as well as law enforcement

forensics, automotive, and dual-credit courses towards a certificate inwglding.

"We've gone wall-to-wall Linl<ed Learning and have started pathlueys in career and

technical ed.ucation," explained Fuentes. "And, we are up for a grant from the Texas

Education Agency that gives us the opportunity to function as anearly college. That means

our students will get up to tlvo years of coltege free while they attend high school."

AIso exciting for the new school year is progress on the construction of the new sterling

High School building. The new facility will be built around an entlance hall desigmed as an

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airplane hangar. Construction is taking place on what was once the football and soccer
fields, but is not impacting the students during the course of the school day. The only
concession is that the football and soccer teams have to practice at Thomas Middle School,
located less than a mile down the road. T'he school saw its first wall go uo in May, and will
celebrate a beam sigming on Wednesday, September 2.

BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HEABS PROGRAM UPDATE AT QUARTERLY MEETING

July 30, 201 5 -- Members of HISD's Bond Oversight Cornmittee met this week to review
second quarter progress for the district's g I .89 billion bond program.
Despite record rainfall over the past several months and a challenging construction market,
the bond project team is making significant headway in the planning, design, and
construction of new schools.

"We have a lot of work on our plate right now, more than at any other time in the history of
HISD," said Sundaresh Kamath, HISD construction officer. ,,The kind of progress we're
making in this hard bidding climate is a reflection of some great work by staff.,,
The second quarter of 2015 saw several Group I projects, including Sterling High
School and Delmar Fieldhouse, go vertical. Group 2 schools are continuing to move

forward, with several expected to move into the construction d.ocuments phase - the last
step before construction work begins - during the next guarter.

AIso in the spring, desigm charrettes were held for all schools in Groups o and 4, and many
have held or scheduled their first community meeting.
However, even with steady progress, the district is facing ongoing budget challenges as the
construction cost per square foot continues to rise well beyond what was anticipated. As
projects undergo scope-to-budget reviews, district staff remain committed to providing
taq)ayers with the best value for each project and delivering 2I"t century schools as
promised.

"we are identifying strategic ways we can bring savings to the project and. make cost-

effective adjustments without compromisi.ng on guarity or impacting core programs,,' said

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Dan Bankhead, HISD'S general manager of facilities design. "We're looking at things above
the ceilings and behind the walls, looking at the materials we use. For example, concrete is
now in such high demand, in some cases we're finding that brick is actually a more cost-
effective option.
BOC members asked questions about the impact of budget challenges on timing. They also
discussed the equity among the projects and inquired if the Group 3 and 4 schools might be
negatively impacted more than the earlier projects.
"Groups 3 and 4 have the exact same planning process along with cost-to-budget analysis,"
said Sue Robertson, general manager of facilities planning.
Other second quarter bond program highlights include:

. ltre DeBakey High School for Health Professions site was cleared, and drilling is in

progress to make way for undergtound concrete piers to support the foundation of
the new five-story building in the Texas Medical Center.

. Mickey Leland College Preparatory Acaderny broke gnound on its new $42.4

million school, which is being built on the site of the former Vfheatley/E.O. Smith
building. Ttre all-boys school is scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2017.

. Grady Middle School stakeholders saw their new construction go vertical and

marked the occasion by signing a steel beam that will be used in the building. The
new addition is expected to open in the first quarter of 2016.

. Worthing High School stakeholders saw plenty of activity on the construction site as

the new two-story classroom wing took shape and the brick facade was added. The
new wing is expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2016.
"There's a lot ofgood news to repo(," said Leo Bobadilla, HISD's chief operating officer.
"As I qet out there and visit sites every week, I'm excited to see the progress."

\-/ BoND CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE: FIRST WALL GOES UP ON NEW STERLING HS

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May 22, 2015 -- A large crane arrived at the Sterling High School construction site this
week, and on Wednesday it lifted and placed the first three-story, concrete tilt wall panel.
Members of the Project Advisory Team and a handful of Sterling students were on site to
celebrate the milestone and add their signatures to the wall before it was lifted.
"This is emotional," said Sterling Principal Dale Mitchell. "It's exciting for the project to be
this far along and to know that in I6 months we'll be in the new building."
The school, one of 40 being rebuilt or renovated under the district's g I .89 billion bond
program, is desig"ned to emphasize Sterling's aviation program and will prominently feature
an airplane hangar as its centerpiece.
Designed to support the latest technologry, the campus also will include state-of-the-art
science labs, numerous learning comrnons areas, and flexible classroom spaces.
Sterling HS proiect information
Sterling freshman Rodney Gant signed his name on the wall and said he is looking forward
to spending his senior year in the new facility.
"It's great to be a part of this," Gant said. "lt seemed to be moving slow at first, but now you

can see that a lot is going on. I'm glad I'll stiil be here when it's finished."
Workers expect to install about l0 wall panels per day for the next several weeks, and the
project is on track to be completed by the end of 20I6. Demolition of the existing building,
along with construction of ball fields and parking lots will be completed in the third guarter

of 2Ol7 .

"lt's a good feeling to see construction rising out of the grround,,, said Marvin Stone, project
manager for the Sterling project. "This is a significant milestone.,,

BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REVIEWS FIRST OUARTER PROGRESS

April 29, zoi5 - HISD'S Bond oversight committee held its quarterly meeting on Tuesd.ay, in

which the panel received an update on bond projects from the first guarter.

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Among the topics discussed were a review on how the district calculates capacity for

schools, as well as information on MAVBE participation levels and financial repo s. HISD

stalf said they were excited about the work that is underway, including foundation work and
vertical construction, and said there is more to come.
"We've made a lot of progress, there's a lot of good news," said HISD Chief Operating
Officer teo Bobadilla. "We're busy all over Houston right now."
Sue Robertson, general manager of Facilities Planning, presented information on how the
district determines capacity ranges for each school. She explained that 2lst century schools
trend toward including teacher work centers, where teachers can plan and collaborate with
each other. This college-style desigm ensures instructional spaces are optimaUy utilized
throughout the day to maximize capacity, she said.
"A core paradigm of 2lst century learning is group work centers, where teachers are not
siloed in one classroom every day," Robertson said. "Tttis modei also allows for classrooms
to be used 100 percent ofthe school day, rather that sitting idle duing a teacher's planning
period."
The first guarte! of 2015 saw construction getting underway at Group I schools and planning
completed for schools in Groups 3 and 4. Group 2 schools made desigm progress, and some
have scheduled their second round of community meetings.
A.lso in the first guarter, HISD administrators and project managers briefed each schooi's
Project Advisory Team on budget issues that may have an impact on design and
construction schedules, and the team continues to evaluate cost-saving measures.
"Our teams are working with contractors to bring the costs into line and in many cases have

come up with very good solutions - things above the ceiling and behind the walls that folks
will never see and that won't compromise the quality of the building," Bobadilla said.

Cornrnittee members were told that in the cases of Furr HS and HSPVA the contracts for
CMAR (construction manager at risk) had been terminated because no agreement could be
reached on a g'uaranteed maximum price for the projects. Members asked about the
reasons the contracts didn't pan out and what led to this decision. It was explained that

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there were very few bidders in key areas of the projects, and in general, more bid
participation translates into more competitive prices.

"AIl you've got to do is read the newspaper and see how many new projects are being

announced," said BOC member Sonny Flores. "Last Sunday, I recall seeing several new
projects are going on - that all plays into it, and I don't see an end to this in the near future."
Other first quarter highlights include:

. Sharpstown High School - Sharpstown High School students, staff and alumni were

joined by elected officials and business representatives on Feb. 7 for a
g:oundbreaking ceremony for the school's new zlst century campus. Designed to

have a collegiate feel, the new $55 million facility will feature a two-story, light-filled

atriurn, classrooms eguipped with modern technologry gnouped into neighborhoods,
flexible learning spaces, a large dinning conunons, g-ymnasium, JROTC building and
fine arts wing.

. Washington High School - Demolition is completed after extensive asbestos

abatement in the nearly 16 acres of land adjacent to the school that was acquired by
the district as part of the plan to nearly double the size of the campus. The new
campus, which will accommodate up to 1,300 students, will showcase the school,s

engineering progEam with 21"r century technology and flexible learning spaces to
support project-based learning and encourage collaboration.

. High School for Law and fustice - In February, HISD completed the purchase of

property near downtown at Scott and Coyle streets, which will become the campus
for the new High School for L,aw and Justice. The school,s new three-story building

will combine a 2I"t century learning environment with unique features - including a

courtroom, a crime scene investigations lab, an emergency communications center,
and a law Iibrary. Construction is expected to begin in late sluruner and. last about 20
months, allowing for students to attend classes in the new building in ]anuary 2012.

. Sterling High School - The building site at Srerting High School is buzzing with

activity these days as construction is prog:essing on the school,s new 2lsr century

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building. The drilled foundation piers are complete and tilt walls are scheduled to go
up this month. T'he school is designed to emphasize Sterling's aviation program and
will prominently feature an airplane hangar as its centerpiece. Desigmed to
accorunodate I,600 to 1,800 students and support the latest technolog'y, the campus
will also include state-of-the-art science labs, numerous learning commons areas,
and flexible classroom spaces.

o Delmar Eieldhouse - T}te concrete slab has been poured and the project is going

vertical this month. Since construction began last fall, workers have been laying
necessary groundwork including installing underground electrical and plumbing
lines, and preparing concrete piers and grade beams. Steel erection is expected to
take about five months. The project team is also finalizing the graphic designs for the
portable arena flooring and the color.
In the preview of second guarter plans, the committee heard about upcoming design
charrettes scheduled for schools in Groups 3 and 4 and community meetings for schools in
Groups 2, 3 and 4. Group 2 schools are also moving into the construction documents phase.
HISD'S nine-member Bond Oversight Committee meets quarterly and is charged with
monitoring all Bond-funded construction projects to ensure accountability and transparency

and to promote public support and confidence. More information. including a list of
rnembers and meetinq rninutes can be found here.

CONSTRUCTION RAMPS UP AT STERLING HS AND OTHER GROUP 1 SCHOOLS

March 9,20JS - Ihe building site at Sterling High School is br:zzing with activity these days

as construction is prognessing on the school's new 2I"t century building.
To date, the drilled foundation piers are 95o% complete; the underground electrical,
plumbing, storm and sanitary sewer installation is in progress; and the building pad is
complete and ready for concrete to be poured in the coming weeks.

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"lt has been a rainy couple of months, but we have a plan to get back on schedr e when that
happens; we work weekends ifneeded," said Glenn Groda, construction superintendenl for
the Sterling project. "We're on schedule and plan to pour concrete for the pads later this
month, and start setting the walls in mid-April."
The school, one of 40 being rebuilt or renovated under the district,s $ I.gg billion bond
pro€rram, is desigmed to emphasize sterling's aviation program and will prominently feature
an airplane hangar as its centerpiece. Designed to accommodate I,600 to I,800 students and

suppo the latest technolog-y, the campus will also include state-of-the-art science labs,

numerous learning comrnons areas, and flexible classroom spaces.
The project is on track to be completed by the end of 2016, which allows for move-in to take
place over winter break, and for students to attend classes in the new building in January
20I7' Demolition of the existing building, along with construction of ball fields and parking
lots will be completed in the third quarter of 2017.
other schools in Group I of the distdct's bond. program are also making construction
pro(Fess, including South Early College High School and Grady Middle School.

. At Grady, site demolition and underground storm sewer work has been completed;

concrete for 124 piers has been poured; and curently grade beams are being
excavated and underground plumbing and electrical work is underway. The project
is expected to go vertical during the summer months and is on schedu-le to be
completed by the end of 2015, with move-in taking place over winter break.

. At South Early, workers are in the process of clearing and grading the site to remove

about I7 feet of dirt from the back end of the prope y. In the coming months,

undergnound utilities will be installed, and the foundation will be laid. This project is
also expected to go vertical in the summer months, and it is on track to be completed
in the first quarter of 2016.

STERLING HS STAKEHOLDERS HEAR ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR NEW
SCHOOL

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-November 19, 2014 Members of the Sterling High School community gathered Tuesday

evening to review final design plans and hear about the construction timeline for the
school's new 2Ist century campus being built as part of HISD's 2012 bond program.
Sterling Principal Dale Mitchell said he is proud of the new design for the campus - which

will emphasize the school's aviation program - and is eager for the work to begin.

"I think the Sterling desigm is the best one I've seen so far," Mitchell said. "Ttre designers
did a phenomenal job of taking our ideas and incorporating function, safety and flexibility.
I'm very happy with the plans and excited to get started."
In this third bond corrununity meeting before constmction begins, attendees heard from the
project's architect and construction manager, who discussed the timeline and ad&essed
saJety concerns.
"We just put the perimeter fencing up today, so site mobilization has begun. You're going to
start seeing the activity ramp up pretty quick," said Bob Bedrich, construction executive at
Cadence McShane, the general contractor for the project.
The construction area will be fenced off from the school to provide both a physical and
visual barrier to the activities. Workers will not have any interaction with students or school
staff, and a]l workers will be safety trained, undergo a backgrouad check, and wiII be
badged.
Construction on the new school will begin before the end of the year, and is expected to
tale about 20 months. Once the new building is completed, the existing building will be
demolished and parking areas and sports fields will be constructed.
"We need this new building, and the community is excited about it," said the Rev' A'L'
Hictanan, a member of the school's Project Advisory Team. "We're looking forward to the

heavy equipment moving in - then everyone wiil know it's really happening."

PRE-BID MEETING HELD FOB POTENTIAL SUBCONTRACTORS ON STERLING HS BOND
PROJECT

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October 6, 2014 -- Cadence McShane Construction held a pre-bid meeting at Sterling High
School on Friday for companies interested in working on the school's new building project.
As part of HISD's 2012 bond, $72.3 million was allocated to construct a new 2lstcentury
campus for Sterling.
More than 80 potential subcontractors attended Friday's meeting, which was the company's
second and final pre-bid meeting for the Sterling project prior to the October 22 bid
deadline.

"Each general contractor will hold multiple pre-bid meetings throughout the construction
phase to explain the bid process and selection criteria to potential subcontractors, " said
Alexis Licata, General Manager for Business Assistance. "T'hese meetings are a great
oppo unity for any business, and certainly for M/\llIBEs, to hear a surrunary of the project
and to understand what goes into a successful bid."
HISD's minimum Minority- or Women-owned Business Enterprise (M,/WBE) participation
goal levels are 20 percent for purchasing and construction and 25 percent for professional
services. HISD's total corJcined commitment made by all design firms in the 2012 bond
program is expected to top more than 53 percent participation by M/\,1IBE firms.
Robert Bedrich, Vice President of Cadence McShane, gave an overview of the Sterling
project and discussed the bid process, expectations, deadlines, and insurance and bonding
reguirements.
"We've put a lot of thought into these work packages,,, Be&ich said. ,,We want to make sure
the bidders have a complete understanding of the project they're bidding on. we want them
to be successfi-rl. "

Bedrich also addressed the project's safety requirements including background checks and.
badging for a]l workers on the construction site.
Eddie smith, Director of pre-construction services for cad.ence Mcshane, d.iscussed the
importance of conveying erq)ectations to bidding companies. He also offered some advice
for subcontractors looking to get a foot in the door.

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"Do your research. Understand the scope of the project and be flexible," Smith said. "Be
willing to take a small chunk, do it well and grow ftom there."
Smith e:rplained that his company would like to work with small businesses and M/IVBES
that do quality work and are committed to the project but may not have all the resources or
m.rnpower to do a huge job.
"If someone really wants to grow their business, they're enthusiastic but maybe they're
small, we don't want them to bite off more than they can chew," Smith said. "But we're
willing to work with them to find a job they can handle. We can divide the job and wdte a
confact for that smaller portion of the project."
Lisa Williams, president of Diverse Consulting Enterprises, attended the event with the goal
of meeting subcontractors who need staffing services. Her company has benefitted from
becoming M/WBE certified and she encourages qualified businesses to get this certification
as weII.

"Cedification is a first step, and then you need to network - get out and meet peop1e,"

Williams said. "The Supplier Diversity people at HISD are a great resource. They are very
helpful. If you want to do business with HISD, you should definitely get to know them."
Cadence McShane has also been contracted to build the new HSPVA campus and they
expect to hold pre-bid meetings for that school sometime in January.
Information on this and other upcoming bid opportunities can be found on the HISD
website or by calling the Business Assistance Supplier Diversity Department at 7I3-556-

7273.

NEW BUILDING FOR STERLING WILL'SPEAK AVIATION'

April 9, 2014 -- An airplane hangar and flight simulators will be a few of the first things
students see upon arriving inside the new Sterling High School.
"When you approach the school, we want the building to speak aviation," said Principal
DaIe Mitchell at a community meeting Tuesday. "The airplane hangar and our flight

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simulator areas will be a place where students will be able to learn more about flight and
how to put together and tal<e apart planes."
The project's second cornmunity meeting drew about 20 parents, students, stakeholders and
community mernbers interested in learning more about the ttEee-story transparent building
that will emphasize the school's aviation program and provide students views of airplanes in
flight from Wiliam P. Hobby Airport, less than five miles ftom the school.
Sterling, originally built i-n 1965, is one of 40 schools that wiII be rebuilt or renovated into a
zlst century learning environment under HISD's 2012 $L89 billion bond program. plans are
underway to begin construction on Sterling in the fourth quarter of 20I4. Ttre school wi]l be
built on a site area adjacent to the existing building, allowing students to continue to attend
classes in the curent facility during construction. The building will serve between 1,600 and
1,800 students and is schedu.led to open in 20I5.
During the community meeting, the school's architects presented d.esign renderings and
images of the building's ftont entrance and interior spaces while provid.ing an update on the
organization of academic and student spaces in the building.
The architects are currently in the design development phase for the new facility, exploring
various options for exterior and interior building materials, including blue metal panels for
the front entrance and double high glass windows to provide a more industrial and
2Ist century appearance for the building exterior.
"We want to create an envirorunent of success for the students, so what they do in their
academic envirorunent mimics what they will do in their future career," said architect
lerudfer Henrikson of the SIIW Group, the firm designing the new facility.
Inside, the building will feature learning cornrnons throughout hallways that wiII be called
"learning runways" at the school. The Iearning commons will offer students areas to work in
small groups that will be visible to teachers in main instructional spaces.
"The building is laid out so that you can literally stand on one end of the building and see
the other side of the building," Mitchelt said. "That's a key piece because this wiII allow
teachers and our stafl to continue to monitor students."

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Ttre first floor will include the school's aviation power p]ant, theater, black box, cafeteria,
g'ym, community room, and departments for visual arts, life skills, music, career and
technologty. Ttre first floor will also have a security vestibule where visitors wiII be required
to check in before entering the main office. Some learning spaces on this level will have
direct access to outdoor learning areas where teachers wiII be able to easily take students
outside for assignments or special projects. As part of the district's PowerUp initiative, the
entire campus will be wireless, allowing students to work on assignments digitauy from
anywhere in and around the building.
The second floor and third floors will feature science labs, teacher work centers, additional
administrative offices, student meeting spaces, and learning neighborhoods for various
academics. Each learning neighborhood is comprised of flexible classroom spaces with
moveable, glass walls that allow teachers to merge their class with another or change their
space as needed. Outside of the learning neighborhoods will be additional learning
comrnons with laptop charging stations. The area will also serve as a place where students

can make presentations, study and lounge.
"In the learning conunons, we can break off into gaoups," said Sterling student Ebony Kelly.

"lt gives us more of a college feel since we won't just have classrooms with rows of desks."
"This is 2I"t century learning," added the Rev. A.L. Hickman Sr., who serves on the school's
Project Advisory Team. "The little classrooms we've had before with one door . .. this
building wiII not look like that."
Since the school has a longstanding partnership with Hobby Airport, the architects and
school principal are also exploring the idea of the third floor having an observation deck to
provide visibility to Hobby's flight pattern and possibly a control room where students can
hear inside a control room at the airport. An alumni of the school has also suggested adding
specialized doors or the school logo or name on a side of the building to help student pilots
identify the school when flying.
"There are not a lot ofplaces you']l go in this building and not see aviation as the focus,"
Mitcheli said.

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STERLING, YMCPA DESIGN PROGRESS FEATURED IN 2 VIDEOS

-January 31, 20J4 The plarudng and design phases of Sterling High School and the Young

Men's College Preparatory Academy are highlighted as community building efforts in two
videos released by HISD.
Both schools are being rebuilt into 2lsr century learning environments under the district's
2012 $ I.89 billion bond prognam.
Ttle videos include input on the projects from students, staff, parents, architects, alumni and
community mem-bers.

In the Sterling video, desigrn &afts show a ttEee-story transparent building w.ith airplanes in
a hanger to emphasize the school's aviation program. ltre &awings also display learning
spaces with moveable wa1ls, giving students and teachers more flexibility to work and teach
differently in these areas.
"Along with the building, it's going to bring a culture change," said Sterling student Joshua
Harris. "It's going to bring to light our amazing CTE (Career and Technical Education)

program that not a lot of people know about - (even) the aviation program.,'

The Young Men's College Preparatory Academy video shows desigm drawings of a tl,vo-
story building site, large learning and athletic spaces, courtyards, and parking areas. The
desigrr features a second-floor balcony that offers a widespread view of downtown Houston.
"lt's really about exchanging ideas - what kind of spaces and what kind of environment is
important to you as young boys becoming men," said the school's architect, James Harrison
of Harrison Kornberg Architects. "Our job as architects is really to listen. Vllhen we come
back to them with design solutions and design options, it helps us to understand. if we,ve
really heard them or not."
Students, along with their fellow Project Advisory Team members at 24 schools, have spent
hundreds of hours over the last few months collaborating in meetings and workshops to help
gnride the design direction for these projects. The new schools will be sustainable

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2I"t century learning environments with the flexibility and infrastructure to support various
types of learning and technolog-y.
The new videos are part of ongoing effort by the district to document the work being done at
each bond campus. More videos will be released in the coming weeks, to be featured on
each school's homepage, as well as the district's bond website and on HISDTV.

STEBLING AND WOBTHING COMMUNITIES GIVE INPUT ON DESIGN CONCEPTS FOB
NEW SCHOOLS

November 21,20i 3 * Nearly 100 people turned out this week to weigh in on proposed

design concepts for Worthing and Sterling High Schools during community meetings held at
each campus.
Both schools are slated to be rebuiit under the 2012 bond program, which was approved by
voters in Novemb et 2012.
"This is an exciting time for Sterling," Principal Dale Mitchell told the audience of more than
40 at his campus on Monday. "It's very important that you're here and giving your
feedback."
At Worthing, more than 50 people turned out Tuesday for the first of three cornmunity
meetings to be held at each bond campus. The goal is to gather additionai input and
feedback from parents and community members at critical stages in the school's planning,
design and construction.
"Sunnyside is a historic Alrican-American community, and Worthing has always been a
cornerstone of Sunnyside, " said Worthing Principai Jolur Modest. "We need a building that
can stand the test of time and be used weU into the 2I"t century."
At both events, architects and HISD planners emphasized the importance of creating
facilities that will support 2l"tcentury learning. Such schools feature paces that are open,
transparent, flexible and support different learning styles.
At Sterling, the goal is to create a facility that supports and enhances the school's aviation
program. The &aft design features a central comrnon area for the schooi, known as the
hangar, to give students a place for hands-on learning.

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"We're going to make sure that our students not only know how to fly the planes, but build
the planes and power the planes," Mitchell said.
Parent Denese Woodson said she liked what she saw on Monday. "lt's so important for this
community. We don't want to bus our kids."
Alumai Terrie Green, who grraduated from Sterling in 1985, also likes the aviation program,
but emphasized the need to create a school that will appeal to all students.
Parents and students at Worthing also shared ideas of what they'd like to see in their new
facility.
"The future students of Wo hing need a design that can grow and change withthem,,'said
Worthing student Heaven Murphy, who said she would ]ike to see the school have a daycare
center, weight room and practice facility for the school band.
Worthing alumnae Cynthia GaIe Johnson wants the new school to boost and enrich
academics as well as provide a community connection.
"lt's a beautiful idea, but you can't build something without considering the culture of the
community, " she said. "The aesthetics are critica-I, but the educational progzams and
extracurricu-lar activities are even more important."
HISD staff and architects will take the input gathered from the community meetings back to
the Project Advisory Teams for their considerati.on.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY BAMPING UP FOH GROUP 1 SCHOOLS IN 2012 BOND

October 15,2014-The construction phase for the l7 schools in Group I of the2012bondis
gearing up, and this means that all of the work, previously being done behind the scenes,
will move front and center.
To prepare sites for construction, a number of schools are undergoing demolition, utility
work, and installation of fencing and other safety measures. Throughout this part of the
project, construction firms have committed to implement strict safety procedures and to
minimize the impact on students and the community.

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"Safety is our number one priority, and number two is to not interfere with the school during
construction," said Matt Wood Vice President of KBR Building Group, the construction firm
working on the Furr, Sharpstown and teland projects. "We want to be a good neighbor and
we'll do that by making sure our workers follow aII the guidelines."
HISD administrators, working with each school's Project Advisory Team, have looked at the
best ways to phase construction to ensure that student learning is not disrupted. In some
cases, students have been relocated to other facilities, in others students remain on campus
and the construction site is fenced off from school activities.
Both physical and visual bariers will be erected around construction sites, and no workers
will have any interaction with students or staff. In addition, contractors are required to
comply with Senate BiIl 9 and badging for its workers.
"In all building projects, the district is working to ensure that student safety and security is
maintained and that the academic programs aren't compromised, with particular attention to
testing schedules," said Robed Sands, HISD's Officer of Construction & Facility Services.
"We are working with school principals to make sure testing dates and other key events are
shared with contractors so they can be sensitive to these activities."
Forty HISD schools are being renovated or rebuilt with funds from the $ I.89 billion bond
program, which also includes work that will benefit students across the district: $100 million
in technology upgEades, $44.7 million to replace regional fieldhouses and improve athletic
facilities, $35 million to renovate middle school restrooms and $i7.3 million for safety and
security improvements.
Adrninistrators are working closely with construction managers at risk (CMARs) to make
sure that these projects stay within budget.
In conjunction with construction getting underway, bid opportunities and deadlines for sub-
contractors are fast approaching. The following bid packages are expected to be released
before the end of the year. Each CMAR handles the opening, releasing of information,
public notices, and pre-bid meetings on their own bids. As required by Iaw, bids will be

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announced via puJrlic newspaper notices, and most will also be availabte on contractor

websites.

Bid packages coming soon (contact CMAR for additional information):

. DeBakey HS (demo pkg. ard bldg. pkg.) - Tellepsen Builders

. Condit ES - DivisionOne

. Mandarin (site pkg. and main bldg. pkg.) - Satterfield & Pontikes
.
Mi]by HS - Tellepsen Builders

r Sterling HS - Cadence McShane

o Furr HS - I(BR Building Group

. HSPVA - Cadence McShane

. L€e HS - Satterfield & Pontikes

. Sharpstown HS (demo pkg.) - I(BR Building Group

. Leland Young Men's Prep - KBR Building Group

o Mark White ES - DivisionOne
. High School for Law and Justice - B3Ci

. Barnett/Butler Sports Complex - DivisionOne

2-DAY WOBKSHOP FOCUSES ON NEW DESIGNS FOR 4 HIGH SCHOOLS

September 26,20J3 - Four HISD high schools slated to be rebuilt under the 20i2 bond

progtram hit a milestone Thursday when their projects officially moved into the desigrr
phase.
"Tttis is an exciting event," Dan Bankhead, HISD's general manager of Facilities Desigrl, told
a group of about 75 people involved in the planning of the new Furr, Sterling, Sharpstown
and Lee high schools. "We're getting ready to set the course for our program.',
"we think it's going to lead to some outstanding zIst century environments for our kids," he
said.

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The district formally kicked off the design process by holding a two-day workshop,
intended to help each school's community work together with their architects, prolfram
managers and HISD adrninistrators to come up with the big concepts they wou.ld like
included in their new buildings. Bankhead also urged the groups to collaborate on shared
challenges, such as where the front door of the new schools might be or dealing with busy
streets and cramped sites.
"There is no criticism of ideas," Bankhead told the audience. "This is a work session."
Participants in the event, which concludes on Friday, rolled up their sleeves and got to work,
talking about flexible spaces, collaborative learning and the details of traffic patterns.
"We get a lot of congestion with the buses and the parents all trying to drop off," said Nelly
Vyhite, the former PIA president at FUrr High Schoo] and now a member of the school's
Project Advisory Team. As Furr architects referred to a three-dimensional model of the
existing school, the group considered different strategies to improve access to the new
building.
"We don't want to shut the door on anything," said Eli Ochoa of ERO Architects, the firm
selected to desigm the new $55.I million school for up to 1,300 students in east Houston.
Members of the Sterling High School Project Advisory Team, meanwhile, were discussing
their thoughts on how to create a building that will fulfill the school's mission of offering a
first-rate aviation magnet progEam.
"We're looking for spaces where students can collaborate on a different level," said PAT
member Rais Hickman, as the group considered what sorts of shared spaces they want in
their new facility, located in southeast Houston near Hobby Airport.
Scotty Denney, the project designer for the architectural firm of SHW, said his team would
incorporate all the ideas into some concepts for the group to consider during the second
day of the design charrette. "lt's rea1ly about trying to make the best school we can," he
said. "It's really exciting."

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For Sharpstown High School, the Project Advisory Team discussed incorporating common
spaces, much like the classic shopping mall, in addition to creating a qneater connection
with the outdoors.
Maarcelin Kamdoum, a Lee High Schooi sophomore, said the workshop helped see what was
possible for his new school, where he'd like to see a lot of "flexibility and innovation."
thursday's event marked the first of several upcoming design charrettes. The Mandarin
Chinese Language Im-rnersion Magnet School and Condit Elementary School are having
their charrettes on Oct. I and 2, and more will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
Bankhead said he hopes the workshops will help the school communities come up with great
ideas and develop the best concepts for their particular projects. "This is a critical part of
oru desiga process," he said.

ARCHITECT FOR STERLING HIGH SCHOOL SEEKS M/WBE SUBCONTRACTORS

Auwst 7, 2013 - SI{I;N Group, an educational facilities design firm, is seeking certified

M/WBE subcontractors to assist with their work at Sterling High School, which is set to get a
new campus under the district's $ 1.89 billion bond program.
SIIW Group's Prircipal-in-Charge Jennifer Henrikson said the firm's biggest goal in the 2012
bond progzam, which will replace or rebuild 40 schools across the city, is to do great work
with the best team possible.
She said the SIIW Group is reaching out to the M/WBE community to help achieve HISD's
goals and to encourage local, smaller firms to participate in the bond program at Sterling.

t bond cam- s slate
The district's minimum M,/WBE goal levels are 20 percent for aII levels of purchasing and
construction, and 25 percent for professional services. In the 2007 bond progEam, that
cornmitment reached nearly 35 percent. In the 2012 program, the contracls awarded to date
reflect a 5I percent M/WBE cornmitment.

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Founded in 1945, SHW has nearly 300 employees and eight offices nationwide, including in
Houston. Specifically, the firm is looking for prospective subs with experience in acoustical,
sporls freld,/Eack, and food services.
"Allowing the opportunity for everyone to participate is critical," Henrikson said.
HISD's Supplier Diversity Team Leader Bernard Willingham said the district was pleased
that SHW Group is looking for potential M/VVBE subs.
"It's definitely a positive when firms involved in the bond prog:am are able to look at their
plan and scope of work and make room for more MAVBEs to participate," he said.
Williagham said the district's M/WBE program helps small businesses gain access to capital
and resources available to their larger counterparts.
"In an organization like HISD, the public expects us to be cornrnunity conscious,"
Houston Metro's Small Business External Relations Officer Tiko Reynolds-Hausman doesn't
need any convincing about the importance of inciuding MAVBES in large contracting
projects. She said M/WBES contribute to the local economy and bring a variety of solutions
to problems.
"Houston is so diverse it's important to engage different cultures for the added values in
schools," Reynolds-Hausman said. "There may be insight the local, smaller firms can give
the general contractors about the school's surrounding community."
Reynolds-Hausman said the biggest asset small businesses and M/VVBEs contribute to larger
contractors is their ability to adapt quickly and shift direction on changing projects because
of their small size.
"Flexibility is extremely valuable in projects," Reynolds-Hausman said. "M/WBEs bring
diversity and a variety of solutions to our problems. Ttre have tenacity, 'can-do attitudes,'
and they care so much about end result ofprojects."
Ihe desigm phase of Sterling has already begun with construction slated to begin midlate
20t4.