October 4 City Council Meeting School Reconfiguration Walker & Buford Re-Design Exhibit A: Slides 1 - 45 goal Improve our system redistribute grades across facilities to improve student experience + Improve our facilities redesign for our students, our educators, and our community What is this project trying to do? 10.04.2021 City Council 2 Information Item Better grouping • Investing in the right ages. These grade levels are foundational to lifelong learning and of grades in achievement. better learning • Middle school transitions are disruptive. Reducing transitions at middle school will greatly improve the 6-8th environments… grade experience and provide better continuity between grades/teachers. • Pre-K resources are scattered and limited. Centralizing Pre-K will provide a more efficient use of early childhood resources across the district and allow for future expansion of the program. • Our learning spaces are from 1966. Renovating learning spaces will better meet the specific needs of these age groups, improve indoor environmental quality, save energy and help meet city climate commitments, and help attract and retain teachers. Why reconfiguration, why now? 10.04.2021 City Council 3 Information Item • Our school buildings are obsolete. …Now CCS facilities are aging and lower quality than many surrounding districts. Our last major investment in school facilities was 47 years ago. • We said we would reconfigure. It has been 13+ years since reconfiguration was first widely discussed and approved. • Time is money. The more we delay, the more expensive reconfiguration becomes. • It’s the best way to accommodate growth. Reconfiguration is the least expensive way to create additional capacity at all CCS facilities. • Tomorrow is today. Decisions we make today keep us on track to achieve reconfiguration in 2026. Why reconfiguration, why now? 10.04.2021 City Council 4 Information Item Racial/Ethnic Diversity Socio-Economic Diversity 84% students 62% 66% 56% of color students economically economically of color 34% disadvantaged disadvantaged residents 24% (VA DOE) (VA DOE) of color residents in poverty City of CHO CCS PreK Grades 5-8 City of CHO CCS PreK Grades 5-8 (US Census 2019) (2017-2021) (2017-2021) (US Census 2019) (2017-2021) (2017-2021) Who is this project for? Does it advance equity? 10.04.2021 City Council 5 Information Item Set a big table. Put everything on it. Invite everyone. Never assume that we know what a community will or won’t accept. Show new work publicly without advance copies. Every solution we show will be wrong. How we’ve worked 10.04.2021 City Council 6 Information Item Virtual • Central webpage • Newsletter • One-on-one interviews • Surveys • Project background video • Text translation line • Zoom CDT design charettes • Facebook live streaming of meetings In-person • Interactive building tours • QR code postcards • Outreach at community events • Staff presentations • Neighborhood walk & talks • Buford summer school course • Kids design activity Peer Engagers • Peer-to- peer outreach, conversations, and presentation Engagement methods 10.04.2021 City Council 7 Information Item What defines success? • Achieve reconfiguration and make sure it really happens this time! • Prioritize the student experience – inclusive, safe, and welcoming “early childhood: spaces spaces where all students can thrive are family-centered and promote parents as their academically, socially, and child's first and best teacher” emotionally • Community driven design – continue to make sure all voices are “Bridging the gap and meeting population that included and being listened to often goes unnoticed/ unheard where they are” What we’ve been hearing 10.04.2021 City Council 8 Information Item What are the most important criteria to consider for selecting design schemes? • Thorough renovation of any buildings to remain • Square footage/ student • Daylight & fresh air to classrooms • Easy access to outdoor space • Appropriately sized and defined learning communities What’s important to community when making decisions 10.04.2021 City Council 9 Information Item 2021 2022 MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR conceptual design (estimates for 3 options each site) schematic design (selected approach) Establish Commit to Results of Process to Date: Budget & Scope Reconfiguration • Recommended concept for • Establish estimated cost for • Approve a specific project to redesign of Buford, starting reconfiguration prior to move forward into full design construction in 2023 November elections so it can documentation, with the goal • Recommended concept for Pre-K inform public discourse & of bidding in early 2023, to temporarily occupy Walker guide budgetary planning completion in 2026 building A in 2026 • Request the City to replace • Committing to spend the • Recommended concept for a the current $50m $75m budget and move future new Early Childhood placeholder in the CIP with forward full speed with Center at Walker $75m, starting in FY24 reconfiguration What must be decided, and when? 10.04.2021 City Council 10 Information Item by 2026 Walker Building “A” Temporary Pre-K Facility (minor renovations) $1.35M 5th Grade Furniture for Elementary Schools (Pre-K furniture moves to Walker) $425K Buford Option 3 with Heavy Renovation of Buildings A & B $73M $74.78M after 2026 New Early Childhood Center at Walker $22.3M* * current dollars, inflation expected to add $1M a year Bottom line: Budget request from CDT 10.04.2021 City Council 11 Information Item $123m ($89m Buford + $34m Phase 1 Walker) $97m ($75m Buford + $22m Phase 1 Walker) $80m little to no $70m $ renovation at $75m Project Buford! starting in FY 24 $ $60m $50 $50m 0 $35m Discover Define Design-to From the RFP: “discover, define, and design-to the City’s needs” Design process and options explored 10.04.2021 City Council 12 Information Item Recent and planned Virginia Public Schools public school construction projects Procurements in 2021 in neighboring districts represent Loudon County new middle school $80m Hanover County new elementary $40m over $700m Goochland County new elementary $60m of investment in Frederick County reno / add to high school $73m public school Buchanan County new high school $90m facilities since 2011. Richmond City new high school $100m Alexandria City new high school $149m Stafford County new high school $142m Fredericksburg City new middle not released What other districts are spending 10.04.2021 City Council 13 Information Item If funded solely 1% special sales tax, via real estate which requires taxes, the project OR approval by General will require a five- Assembly & cent increase. Charlottesville voters What is required in new tax revenue? 10.04.2021 City Council 14 Information Item 2026 - ? Temporary home of CCS Preschool Walker Site 2026 10.04.2021 City Council 15 Information Item 2026 - ? Temporary home of CCS Preschool Renovate & Repurpose Building “B” Demolish Building "C" Walker – Build Center to South while Building "A" is Occupied 10.04.2021 City Council 16 Information Item Renovate & Repurpose Building “B” New Addition Walker Site – Early Childhood Center Proposal 10.04.2021 City Council 17 Information Item Walker Site – Proposed Two-Story Early Childhood Center 10.04.2021 City Council 18 Information Item Upper Level Cutaway Plan Academics Arts Auxiliary Movement Admin Building Support EC Center – Upper Level with walkout access to courtyards 10.04.2021 City Council 19 Information Item Lower Level Cutaway Plan Academics Arts Auxiliary Movement Admin Building Support EC Center – Lower Level at Rose Hill Entry Landscape 10.04.2021 City Council 20 Information Item Walker Building “C” Crow Pool Walker Site - Rose Hill Drive Entry Today 10.04.2021 City Council 21 Information Item New Early Crow Pool Childhood Center To Rose Hill Drive Walker Site– Proposed Rose Hill Drive Entrance 10.04.2021 City Council 22 Information Item Walker Site – Proposed Rose Hill Drive Entrance 10.04.2021 City Council 23 Information Item Building “A” Crow Pool Addition Connects Entry Landscape to Upper Courtyards 10.04.2021 City Council 24 Information Item Building B Building C Walker Site - Blacktop / Courtyard Today 10.04.2021 City Council 25 Information Item Connector New Addition Renovated Building B Walker Site – Proposed Play & Learn Courtyard 10.04.2021 City Council 26 Information Item Walker Site – Connector Between New & Renovated Areas 10.04.2021 City Council 27 Information Item “D” Building “A” Building “B” Building “C” Building Smith Aquatic Center Boys & Girls Club Buford Site – Existing 10.04.2021 City Council 28 Information Item Buford Site – Proposed 10.04.2021 City Council 29 Information Item Smith Aquatic Heavy Boys & Renovation Girls of “B” Club Building Heavy Renovation of “A” Building Buford Site – Proposed Roof Plan. View from southeast. 10.04.2021 City Council 30 Information Item Academics Academic Support Arts Commons Athletics Admin Buford Site – Upper Level Floor Plan 10.04.2021 City Council 31 Information Item Academics Academic Support Arts Media / Commons Athletics Admin Buford Site – Entry Level Floor Plan 10.04.2021 City Council 32 Information Item Academics Academic Support Arts Cafeteria / Commons Athletics Admin Buford Site – Cafeteria Level Floor Plan 10.04.2021 City Council 33 Information Item Academics Academic Support Arts Commons Athletics Admin Buford Site – Field Level Floor Plan 10.04.2021 City Council 34 Information Item Buford Site – Existing Building Entry 10.04.2021 City Council 35 Information Item Buford Site – New Building Entry 10.04.2021 City Council 36 Information Item Buford – Existing entry at lower level and connection to gym 10.04.2021 City Council 37 Information Item Buford Site – Cut-away view of new circulation space 10.04.2021 City Council 38 Information Item Buford – Inviting spaces to connect all students, entry level 10.04.2021 City Council 39 Information Item Buford – Academic commons, cafeteria level. 10.04.2021 City Council 40 Information Item Buford Site – Existing circulation space 10.04.2021 City Council 41 Information Item Buford – Outdoor space between cafeteria level & field level 10.04.2021 City Council 42 Information Item Buford Site – Existing underutilized outdoor space 10.04.2021 City Council 43 Information Item Buford – Art and project spaces, field level. 10.04.2021 City Council 44 Information Item Following over thirteen years of community discussion, the Charlottesville City Schools (CCS) School Board reaffirms the need to reconfigure the present allocation of grades in the elementary and middle schools, and to modernize the facilities on the Walker and Buford campuses, in order to further academic and equity goals. Currently, students in CCS transition from six neighborhood elementary schools to Walker Upper Elementary for grades five and six, and transition again to Buford Middle School for grades seven and eight before transitioning to Charlottesville High School for grade nine through twelve. Pre-K is available to a limited number of income and special needs qualified students within the neighborhood elementary schools. The School Board proposes a renovation and addition to Buford Middle school, allowing it to serve a planned capacity of 1,050 students in grades six through eight. Pre-K will be centralized into one location at the Walker site, and fifth grade will move to the existing elementary schools. A plan to explore various design concepts with the citizens of Charlottesville was reviewed with the School Board at the May 21, 2021, School Board retreat, and again at a joint work session of the School Board and Charlottesville City Council on May 26, 2021. Potential scopes of work were developed and discussed over seven public meetings with the Community Design Team (CDT) and informed by numerous outreach and engagement efforts. The CDT’s conceptual design recommendations were presented to a joint work session of the School Board and City Council on September 15, 2021. This recommendation includes: • Grade level reconfiguration achieved by August of 2026 • A combination of demolition, construction, and heavy renovation at Buford resulting in approximately 187,000 square feet and based on the “Build in the Bowl” option • Pre-K temporarily occupying “Building A” of Walker in 2026 • New furniture to accommodate fifth grade students at the elementary schools • A plan for a new Early Childhood Center, based on the “Rose Hill Drive” option, to be built on the southern end of the Walker Campus that would be executed as soon as funding is available. These recommendations were also presented as “Exhibit A” to the School Board as an information/action item on September 23, 2021. Having carefully reviewed the extensive input from the CDT, the design consultant, CCS and City staff, and the community, I move that the School Board approve the recommendation of the CDT as generally described in Exhibit A. By approving this motion, the School Board approves the following: • A proposed scope of work and budget to achieve reconfiguration by August of 2026. • A request that the City replace the Fifty million dollar reconfiguration placeholder in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in FY 2025 with a Seventy-five million dollar total project budget, anticipating a construction start in FY 2024. If the stated reconfiguration is funded solely by real estate taxes, the School Board understands this would require a 5 cent increase. • A request that the City plan for CIP funding of the Early Childhood Center as soon as possible, with a target date of FY 2027. School Board Resolution, passed unanimously on 9/23/2021 10.04.2021 City Council 45 Information Item