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Most Current Capital Improvement Project Update - December 21, 2023
Seen here is the most up to date version of the plans for our exterior changes. You will notice a shift in the multipurpose field as well as adjustments to the tennis court area that is different than what we originally thought was to be done. The current plans for the field includes lighting for all athletic events played on the multipurpose field as well as on at least one tennis court. This addition will allow for expanded use of our field and courts for both students and our community.
Our parking lots are being completely reconfigured. As noted previously, our intended goal was to separate the various types of traffic around campus including the pick up and drop off of students, faculty parking, student parking, and visitor parking. After reviewing multiple versions of ways to adjust our overall usage of our parking lots, the layouts here seemed to be the best alternative. The student pick up and drop off entry point will be on Quaker road and will see a loop formed near the new entry way being built in the old middle school loop and the parking lots for all others will be separated from the bus loop and drop off and pick up loop. This virtually eliminates any potential cross over of foot traffic from vehicle traffic creating a safer and more efficient method to get into and out of the building.
Our expectation is to receive bids for this work by February 6th, 2024 and to award contracts to the lowest responsible bidders on February 12th, 2024. We fully expect to have all the exterior work, except for some window replacements, complete prior to the start of school in September 2024.
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Capital Improvement Project Information:The design work on our $25,205,000 capital project is underway. We have had multiple meetings and design sessions with district staff including groups representing each of the areas being affected as well as the input from other staff in the district. Countless hours have gone into the draft designs seen below. We want to reiterate, the project is being completed in two phases. The first phase will include most of the exterior work involving the parking lot renovations, the multipurpose athletic field, and some, but not all window replacements. The second phase will include all work inside the building and the remaining exterior work such as signage, brickwork, and other finishing touches. We have a few designs shown below for the main parts of phase 1, as well as some of the more significant portions of phase 2.
Please take a look at these designs and let us know what you think. If you want, send us your feedback and thoughts on the layouts and designs for us to take into consideration as we move forward. However, one important item to note is that these drawings are just the layouts, the color schemes, furniture, equipment, and other associated items are not included on these drawings. Those decisions will come at a later time.
If you have any questions regarding the content, please contact Jake Reimer, Superintendent at 716-795-3110 or jreimer@barkercsd.net.
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Parking Lots
As we all know the majority of our parking lots need to be either completely replaced or substantially refurbished. The image shown here only shows the lots along the corner of Haight Road and Quaker. However, the ENTIRE High School Gym parking lot is being replaced. We are not showing that image as the current location and dimensions of that parking lot are not anticipated to change, but please be assured that lot is getting a complete overhaul!!!!
The image here shows changes that will improve safety and access to our building. First, the goal was to separate pick up and drop off of students from other parking lots. For those that remember, pick up and drop off of students used to occur in the main parking lots. This caused a lot of confusion and was a safety hazard. When pick up and drop off was moved to the district office parking lot, this substantially reduced the safety issues but is still not the ideal situation. The changes shown here will allow parents to pick up and drop off students by a new entrance and exit that will enter from Quaker Road along the current High School bus loop. This change will allow students to walk into the building without having to cross in front of a car or bus. This change also moves the entry and exit to that lot/loop away from the other parking lots and bus loop in front of the Pratt Elementary School. This will let drop off and pick up by parents occur simultaneously as the buses and parents will not need to wait for buses to leave as they do now.
You will also see the bus loop in front of Pratt Elementary and the main parking lot will not cross either. The move of the main parking lot will coincide with a shift of the main offices to the old middle school office (images for this change are shown and described below). Students would then have a short walk to the main office.
The designs here reduce the need to expand our currently paved areas and attempt to maximize what we already have and use, but just reconfigure how it is used.
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Multiple Purpose Turf Playing Field
The drawing here depicts the layout of the multipurpose field. You will notice the main bleachers for field sports will be near the track while the baseball and softball fields will be closer to the main parking lot. Debate was had about flipping the position of the fields and have the main bleachers along the parking lot with the baseball and softball fields closer to the track. However, for various reasons, it was determined that the layout here was the best for playability and viewability for all activities that may be on this field. There are new dugouts for both baseball and softball as well as places for bleachers for all sports played on the field. The field will be lined for our current sports including field hockey, soccer, baseball, and softball. We will also line the field for football in the event we have games here in Barker in the future. The idea is to have this field ready for the sports we envision being able to use it for into the future, not just now.
You will also see that part of the current tennis court complex is being affected and 3 courts will be turned into one resulting in a total of 4 courts upon completion of this project. The three courts being affected are older and in need of work anyway, and this allows us to refurbish the area for the court while also allowing extra room for the multipurpose field.
It is anticipated that we will have the multipurpose field and tennis courts lighted. One of the main goals of this work is to have spaces that are usable for our entire community and having lighted spaces can increase the usability of them.
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Family Consumer Science & LGI
The Family and Consumer Sciences space is slated to move closer to the cafeteria and will be a larger and more flexible space. The changes shown here allow for a better set up of food preparation and instruction. Additionally, the space will have an entry into the courtyard (which is also being renovated and will include features like growing walls, raised gardens and other features that support the family and consumer sciences program. Also in this image is a rendering of the creation of additional flexible classrooms. The Family and Consumer Sciences room and the other two classroom spaces will be reconfigured to allow greater flexibility of the space to meet any instructional requirement and/or to support larger gatherings of people as needed.
The entire Technology Wing is slated to be redesigned. The image here shows the total footprint (meaning the outside walls) will not change but how the inside space is divided up and used will completely change. The space shown here includes most of the area but not quite all of it. The space is being reconfigured to allow for areas of instruction that are outside the shop working areas but to also allow quick access to those spaces as needed. This will help to keep some spaces dust free but still allow students and staff to easily move from the design/instructional area to the work areas. This change also reconfigures where materials are stored and accessed.
Another aspect of this change is the computer lab area across the corridor from the main Technology Wing. The current space would be reconfigured within the same footprint to allow for a better use of the space and division of the working area.
Ultimately, these spaces will be filled with new technology that will allow the district to provide our students with the experiences and knowledge required of 21st century learners ready for the workforce or the next step in their academic careers.
Click here to expand the Family Consumer Science image
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Main Office, Library, Guidance
One of the focuses of the Facilities Advisory Group was to improve school safety. It was determined that condensing our entry points to the building into one main point of entry for visitors was one way to do this. You can see that the current middle school area would be redesigned to become the main office for the entire district. A secure entry, including double locked doors, would be created so no one could enter the building during school hours without first being screened and vetted through the main vestibule. Visitors would need to provide identification through a safety glass partition before being allowed in the main office. This style of entry is the standard for secure entry ways.
You can also see the Nurses office and guidance offices are also moved to this area as would the new Library Media Center. This location is in the geographic center of the entire school building. Please note the current spaces for main offices, nurse, and library media centers are being reconfigured into spaces that can be used as new classrooms and for other purposes.
When looking at the parking lot changes you can see the main parking lot right in front of the entry way in being reconfigured to tie into this office space.
The library media center is being designed to operate as two libraries next to each other. It is important to note that they will be separated and students will not be able to freely walk between the elementary side and the high school side. However, both libraries will be services by one circulation desk so both libraries can be open at all times for all our students and staff. As of now, the separation between the two libraries will be via a movable wall. This will provide maximum flexibility in the area to allow us to meet changing needs in the future and also to allow the space to be used for different purposes throughout the school year if needed and appropriate.
Click here to expand Main Office, Library Media, and Guidance image
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Tech Wing
The entire Technology Wing is slated to be redesigned. The image here shows the total footprint (meaning the outside walls) will not change but how the inside space is divided up and used will completely change. The space shown here includes most of the area but not quite all of it. The space is being reconfigured to allow for areas of instruction that are outside the shop working areas but to also allow quick access to those spaces as needed. This will help to keep some spaces dust free but still allow students and staff to easily move from the design/instructional area to the work areas. This change also reconfigures where materials are stored and accessed.
Another aspect of this change is the computer lab area across the corridor from the main Technology Wing. The current space would be reconfigured within the same footprint to allow for a better use of the space and division of the working area.
Ultimately, these spaces will be filled with new technology that will allow the district to provide our students with the experiences and knowledge required of 21st century learners ready for the workforce or the next step in their academic careers.