At the Jan. 20 meeting, the Parkland Board of School Directors approved bids from 11 vendors amounting to $49,811,191 for the high school expansion and renovation plus several other improvements inside and outside of the building.

As part of the district’s Vision 2030 plan, the high school will increase from 493,782 square feet to 578,696 square feet to accommodate 4,000 students.

Additions include 28 general classrooms, 11 science labs, two learning support areas, two engineering labs, one robotics lab, one art lab, one food lab, eight small group instruction centers, one tutoring space and a new stairway to ease congestion in the cafeteria area.

At the January committee meetings, administrators recommended acceptance of the athletic lobby construction, the media center upgrade and a few other options not directly related to the project.

Director of Communication and Community Engagement Nicole Mehta McGalla, reports the cost of the athletic lobby is $2,372,588 and the media center $1,238,495 in figures provided by Arthur Oakes, director of facilities and operations.

These amounts are included in the overall bid packages, except for steel needed in the athletic lobby construction which still has to be bid.

Other approved options are improvement of the auditorium lights and dimming system and upgrading lighting and painting in the pool area.

Oakes noted the new lights will cast indirect light over the pool which will benefit swimmers.

He went on to say the campuswide outside lighting will be upgraded to LED which will improve vision for the band which practices on the parking lot.

Another matter covered in the bids is for turf in the new courtyards.

Board President David Hein observed the elementary school courtyards have turf and installing it at the high school will maintain a district standard.

During the committee discussion, Oakes noted much lighting at the high school is original to the building which opened in 1999.

With economies of scale, it makes sense to do replacements now when contractors are engaged rather than as stand-alone projects at a later time Oakes said.

McGalla reported the vote on the bids was 7-2 with Lisa Roth and Chris Pirrotta opposed.

Groundbreaking for the high school project is scheduled for March; however, Executive Project Manager Rob Avitabile from Alvin H. Butz Construction Management, is hoping to get started sooner if weather is appropriate.