As the Parkland School District administration and board prepare to solicit bids for the high school renovation and construction project, officials continue to fine tune the designs.

At the Aug. 19 meeting, Arthur Oakes, director of facilities and operations, reported a different site has been selected for the new staircase.

“The previous location would have involved structural work costing $1 million. We’ll save that by going to a new location,” Oakes said.

Architect Jamie Bortz of Alloy5 commented on the matter.

“We’ll tuck the staircase in the back by the loading dock. It will help crowds leaving the cafeteria and alleviate a lot of traffic issues.”

A former Parkland student, Bortz recalled the throngs of people elbowing their way in and out of the cafeteria.

She explained the renovation calls for an additional 400 seats in the cafeteria, increasing capacity to accommodate 1,000 students.

In another matter, Bortz said the long ramp for non-ambulatory individuals to reach the first floor during a power failure will be removed.

“The elevators are hooked to generators, so they will still function,” Bortz said.

In the space occupied by the ramp, two classrooms, one on each level, will be installed, Bortz said.

If the board and administration decide to include the library media center update, the showcases leading into the room will be replaced.

Bortz noted the artwork of Dr. William Swallow will still be displayed in the same location where they are now but with new glass panels.

A nationally renowned artist, Swallow was a teacher at the high school in the 1950s and 1960s.

A variety of Swallow’s work, including some ceramic pieces, has been on display since the high school opened in 1999.

Bids are scheduled for advertisement in October and should be available for reporting at the Dec. 9 board meeting.

Cost estimate for the high school renovation and additions stands at $68.2 million.

The library media center refresh would cost an additional $2.5 million.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for March 2026 with completion expected in December 2027.