Initial Transition Committee Recommendations

A 9-12 Transition Committee was formed in the fall of 2013 to examine operational issues related to integrating the Mid-High and High School into a 9-12 site, including a 9th Grade Center or Freshman Academy. The committee met as a whole on September 17, 2013 and broke into subcommittees on scheduling, administration, and special programs. Those subcommittees reported back in a general meeting on October 15.

Initial recommendations included:

• Closed campus lunch for grade 9; open for 11-12; grade 10 lunch status still under consideration [Transition Team for Scheduling/Curriculum decided on 10/29/2014 to have closed campus lunch for grade 10.]

• In addition to a Freshman Academy area, consolidate a location for Bruin Academy, Bruin Brilliance, PASS, and Back on Track with more supervisory support (e.g. PASS, BOT, Special Ed. BOT, and BB on ground floor of stadium, entire middle level of stadium for Bruin Academy with office for counselor and director)

• 7-period freshman day and 6-period day for grades 10-12 (the schedule assumes three bus runs: grades 9-12, then 6-8, then PreK-5; having later start times for grades 9-12 was rejected in a study a few years back for multiple reasons, including needing four periods before students leave for Tri-County Tech, student after-school work schedules, and avoiding having young children at bus stops in the dark of winter)

A separate Design Committee was formed to deal with specific aspects of the design of the buildings.

Architects & Construction Manager:

On October 8, 2013 the Bartlesville Board of Education approved Nabholz Construction Services as construction manager for the 2013 bond issue projects.

What is a construction manager?

Unlike a general contractor, which is not selected to manage a large project until the planning and design phase is complete, a construction manager is involved in the early stages of construction, including planning and design. The district has used the construction manager model, with the Boldt company, on a number of projects from the 2007 and 2012 bond issues, including the Early Childhood Center at Kane Elementary.

Nabholz Projects

For the new project Nabholz was selected after an interview process with several firms. Nabholz has handled a number of K-12 education projects in the area, including Liberty Elementary in Broken Arrow, Independence High School in Kansas, and Fayetteville High School in Arkansas. The firm has also handled higher education projects in Tulsa and Arkansas.

Nabholz Project Managers and Superintendents

Chad Hall of Nabholz is the Senior Project Manager for the expansion projects at Bartlesville High School with Barry Bishop acting as site superintendent. (Caleb Rovenstine is the Project Manager for the renovation and expansion projects at Central Middle School with Ray Blake as site superintendent.)

Ambler Architects Project Managers and Principals-in-Charge

On the architectural side, Ambler Architects will handle both projects. Joey Evans, a graduate of Bartlesville High, is the firm's Project Manager for Bartlesville High School, with Scott Ambler the firm's Principal-in-Charge. (For Central Middle School, Ed Wilson will be the Project Manager and Randy Weatherly will be the firm's Principal-in-Charge.)

Project TimelinesClick the image at right to see the entire construction timeline.