2014 Capital Bond funds summer renovations, improvements in many of the district schools

Construction workers and West Linn-Wilsonville School District staff have been buzzing around projects this summer, and nearly all of the projects appear to be coming in under budget, but some are still underway.

After four summers of capital improvement projects and renovations, 2014 Capital Bond funds are nearing the end, with more than 90 percent of funds spent after the 2018 projects are complete.

"I think this has been a very successful bond for us. We have been able to achieve everything that was considered for the bond," said Tim Woodley, director of operations for the WL-WV School District. "I think all the schools in the district in one way or another have benefitted from the bond."

The bond was passed for $98 million to build two new schools and update others. The most noteworthy projects were the construction of Meridian Creek Middle and a new Sunset Primary, which ate up about $65 million in bond funds. And while those projects, among others, have been completed, that doesn't mean this summer wasn't a busy one.

While improvements were made at individual schools, energy-efficient lighting across district schools is projected to cost just under $500,000.

The project replaced outdated lighting with energy-efficient lights in several gyms, cafeterias and classrooms.

"They provide superior lighting and dimming," Woodley said. "A lot of our gyms are used for things other than basketball; they use them for other performance-type things, so the ability to easily manage the lights — dim them, brighten them — was important."

Bolton Primary

Renovations at Bolton Primary is projected to cost the district more than $1.5 million in a building that was built in 1950.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - Bolton gets a new makerspace for activities like FIRST Lego League robotics.

In order to accommodate a secure entryway for Bolton — where the public enters directly into the office, instead of the school — a classroom adjacent to the existing office was converted, creating an office suite. The suite includes a new health room, a conference room, a work room where copy machines are located and a larger space that incorporates administrative offices.

An unused space was converted into two new classrooms and a support room. Carpet and lighting replacement were also completed. The walls were painted, windows were replaced with energy efficient glass, separate art and music rooms were created and the locker room in the basement was demolished.

"Under the gym that school, when it was built, was a K-8 and it had locker rooms down there that had never been used for years so we demo'd those out completely," Woodley said. "We created a pretty large makerspace there (that's) appropriate for primary school (students), a new staff room and a large book storage space."

A security measure already in use at Meridian and Sunset was added to Bolton and Boeckman Creek — a door latch system where teachers have a key fob that can lock every classroom door in about a nano second, Woodley said. The 2014 bond didn't have enough funds to add this system to all district schools but Woodley said it will be included in a future funding request.

Boeckman Creek Primary

Boeckman Creek Primary renovations are projected to cost the district just under $1.3 million.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - Boeckman Creek and Bolton primaries are receiving a door latch system where teachers have a key fob that can lock all the doors in the school simultaneously.

These renovations included lighting replacement, new carpet and updates to their collaborative spaces — areas known as "porches."

"When the school was built, those classrooms that abutted the porch had moveable walls. They were like a portable wall with a door through it — a foldable partition thing and we took those out and put in all new regular door entries and hard walls with glass to connect them," Woodley said. "The porch is similar to our other schools like at Sunset, Trillium or Lowrie and it made a huge difference. The parents, kids and the teachers are going to be astounded."

For student safety and security, Boeckman Creek has an entirely new entryway and front office.

Inza R. Wood Middle School

The sports field upgrade at Inza R. Wood Middle School is projected to cost $2 million, and Woodley said the new artificial turf at Wood's football field is coming along well and the new stadium lights are up and running.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - Inza R. Wood Middle School gains a new turf football field and stadium lights.

Improvements were also made to track venues like the shot put.

Wood also received energy efficient lighting upgrades in both of its gyms.

West Linn High School

It is projected to cost just under $150,000 to remodel the entryway at West Linn High School.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - WLHS has received a new and more secure entryway.

"It's similar to what we did last year at Wilsonville High School. The main front doors remain the same. They'll be open in the morning but when classes start they'll lock and just to the side of it, there's a single entry door that visitors will enter (and) they'll be received right there with the receptionist," Woodley said. "You will not be able to just walk into West Linn High School anymore."

Also at WLHS, a computer room was divided into two classrooms and the building between the football field and the main building has been fitted with equipment like laser cutters and other machines purchased with money from the Career and Technical Education Grant the school received last year.

The baseball field is also being replaced with new artificial turf.

Arts and Technology High School

Though 2014 bond money did not go toward Arts and Technology High School since it is owned by the city of Wilsonville, the City replaced the school's roof and painted the building.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - Arts and Technology High School gets a fresh coat of paint a new roof from the City of Wilsonville.

"We lease it from the City so it's a statement of appreciation from the district to the City for that work," Woodley said.

Other improvements

Both baseball fields at Wilsonville High School are in the process of being replaced with new artificial turf. Rosemont Ridge Middle School received energy efficient lighting upgrades in both of its gyms and cafeteria. On the primary level, Cedaroak Park, Stafford and Willamette primaries received energy-efficient lighting upgrades in their gyms, and Cedaroak also received a preschool playground.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: ANDREW KILSTROM - A new preschool playground is built at Cedaroak Park Primary.

While not every school had significant updates done this summer — some received none — Woodley said that's because bond funds have already gone toward improvements over the last few years.

As for the last of the bond money, Woodley said it will likely be put toward mechanical and electrical updates next summer.

Woodley expects all of the current summer updates to be completed by September.

"I think we're going to hit the mark," said Woodley, adding that the busy construction season and shorter summer due to last year's added snow days and early start time this year haven't hindered the district's productivity.

Wilsonville Spokesman reporter Clara Howell can be reached at chowell@pamplinmedia.com or 503-636-1281.

Meridian Creek Middle School and Sunset Primary School enjoyed successful openings this past school year, but additional construction projects are still getting underway this summer.

Thanks to the generosity of the West Linn and Wilsonville communities for passing the 2014 Capital Bond, Boeckman Creek Primary, Bolton Primary, and West Linn High School are all receiving renovated safe and secure entryways this summer. The new entryways will ensure that each school is accessible by just one door that leads directly into the office during the school day while adding to the welcoming feel that West Linn-Wilsonville schools enjoy. Other safety features, such as upgraded locks and intercom systems, are also part of the design, as the district continues to think about safety and security in all of its schools.

In addition to a new entryway, Boeckman Creek will also receive lighting upgrades, fire sprinkler replacement, carpet replacement, and classroom porch replacements this summer. Demolition is nearly complete at Boeckman and Bolton. Entryway work at West Linn High School will begin in the coming weeks, meanwhile.

Another major bond project is underway at Wood Middle School, meanwhile, where the football field will receive synthetic turf and field lighting for the first time. Turf replacement is also underway for the baseball fields at Wilsonville High School and West Linn High School. The new turf replaces an existing playing surface that was first installed 13 years ago, far exceeding the eight-year warranty that is expected of such material. Thanks to consistent and careful upkeep from facilities staff, the district was able to increase the three fields’ playability well past the expected lifetime. A vital resource for both cities, the new turf fields will provide playing surfaces for the greater community for years to come.

New state-of-the-art LED gymnasium lighting has also been installed at several WLWV schools including Wood and Rosemont Ridge middle schools, Cedaroak Park, Stafford, and Willamette primaries. Smaller projects at Meridian Creek and Sunset will also be completed this summer, as the new buildings continue to receive fine-tuning and finishing touches.

Security cameras are also being added to school entryways across the district, increasing safety and security for staff and students. Security camera upgrades will also take place at West Linn and Wilsonville high schools.  

Thanks to the hard work of contractors and the district’s operations department, all of the many construction projects throughout West Linn-Wilsonville are expected to be completed before the first day of school on Aug. 27. Thank you to our community for supporting facilities for current and future students!

It seems like just yesterday that students raced out of West Linn-Wilsonville schools for summer vacation, but with the first day of school slated for Aug. 29, the 2017-18 school year is only a couple short weeks away.

That date marks both the end of summer as well as the beginning for two new schools in the district: Meridian Creek Middle School in Wilsonville and Sunset Primary in West Linn.

While the opening of those facilities are the biggest projects for the school district this summer — totaling roughly $67 million between the two — the school district has also been hard at work on a variety of lesser projects in the past couple months. Between a slightly earlier start date than years past and snow days that ate into the front-half of summer vacation, Operations Director Tim Woodley says it's been a sprint to the finish line to get everything done on time, but that he's optimistic both schools will be ready come Aug. 29.

West Linn-Wilsonville School District forges on with bond projects ahead of the first day of school Full Story

The West Linn community says goodbye to West Linn's oldest school building as it prepares to open its reimagined school for the 2017-18 school year

Sunset: 127 Years and Counting Full Story

Meridian Creek Middle School municipal infrastructure projects underway and making progress

SPOKESMAN PHOTO: CLAIRE GREEN - Construction crews worked through rain and shine to put down sewage lines for the new Meridian Creek Middle School across the intersection of Wilsonville/Boeckman/Stafford/Advance March 20-24.

Drivers and pedestrians experienced short delays March 20-24 at the four-way stop at the Wilsonville/Boeckman/Stafford/Advance intersection. From roughly 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., road crews worked to lay underground sewer lines across the intersection to connect the future Meridian Creek Middle School with the municipal sewer system.

Although the bulk of intersection construction wrapped Friday, March 24, project lead and Wilsonville Development Engineering Manager Steve Adams said that construction in the area won't end until July.

"The sewer line gets extended down Advance Road so impacts along Advance will continue for the next couple of weeks," Adams said, adding, "The contractor has requested closure of a section of Advance Road, east of Wilsonville Road, from April 30 through the first three weeks of May. So that's going to come up and we'll have some of our message sign boards put out in April forewarning people of that pending closure."

SPOKESMAN PHOTO: CLAIRE GREEN - Cars stacked up during morning and afternoon traffic rushes at the intersection, but most delays were short.

The April closure will be to rebuild large sections of the road that will be torn up during other construction projects related to the school.

"The work in that area goes on into July," Adams said. "Lots of construction work going. I wish the weather was a little bit better, but (contractors are) under a tight deadline to get everything done by July... They're on track."

Contact Wilsonville Spokesman reporter Claire Green at 503-636-1281 ext. 113 or cgreen@pamplinmedia.com

At a special meeting last Thursday the West Linn City Council supported their Planning Commission's decision to approve the School District's application for a conditional use permit to rebuild Sunset Primary School. The School Board, on Monday night, approved the awarding of the contract bid for the construction of Sunset Primary to Triplett Wellman Construction. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new school will be held at 9:15 a.m. this Thursday morning. We thank all who have been involved in and supportive of each of the processes necessary to move this vision toward reality.

We are proud to host a Ground Breaking Ceremony for Meridian Creek Middle School to be held on Friday, June 3rd at 4:00 PM. Meridian Creek Middle School is one of the major projects supported by the 2014 construction bond and is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2017. Please join us for this exciting event!

On April 14th the West Linn Planning Commission voted to approve the application for a conditional use permit for the rebuilding of Sunset Primary School. On May 23rd and 24th the West Linn City Council considered an appeal to the planning commission decision. Late on the evening of the 24th the Council voted to deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission's decision to approve the application with one condition. When the Council met on May 26th to sign for the final decision, new language had been introduced to the condition and the Council could not agree to sign. The District has graciously granted a continuance allowing the council to meet again on June 2nd where we are optimistic that they will finalize their May 24th vote upholding their Planning Commission's decision to approve our application.