Marshfield Junior High School

The building was completed for school to begin on-schedule. Final work items are being completed in September around school hours.

Areas of the new gym floor damaged by installation of the additional volleyball sleeves have been replaced. Completion of striping and finishes is expected this week.

The new stairway up the hillside to Marshfield High School has been completed, and the hillside has been backfilled and hydroseeded for stabilization.

Final HVAC, fire alarm and lighting system commissioning has been accomplished with minor punchlist items to be completed in September.

The final component before achieving Certificate of Occupancy is the police/fire radio booster system. We coordinated with the City and Police Chief to develop an official request from the District to the City for an alternative communication method using the new County-wide system currently being installed. We received an email back confirming that the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy would be modified to allow for the associated installation, testing and necessary modifications. Costs for this system, if any, are much lower than a traditional DAS communication booster.

Madison

Abatement of the main classroom building has been completed and abatement in the gym should be completed later this month.

Significant areas of rot in the existing classroom structure have added challenges to the project, but there have been no overall schedule impacts yet. Costs for replacing rotten structure were anticipated and are being absorbed in the contractor’s contingency.

Construction of the new roof over the classroom building continues and is expected to be weather tight before seasonal rains begin. Interior sheer wall construction has started.

Foundation pilings for the new administration, breezeway and elevator sections of the building were completed ahead of schedule over two days in late August before school started. The slab for the administration section will be poured in late September.

After reviewing extensive Health Department requirements for changes to the existing kitchen, the District decided to completely renovate the kitchen and replace the majority of equipment. The Architect is currently working on a design proposal to add this work to the project.

Updated: 8/27/2019

The new Eastside School is getting ready to go vertical! Next Friday, September 6, 2019 will be the final slab pour for the new gym at Eastside School. This is going to be another long concrete day, but we have been assured that it will not start until 7:00AM. Due to its size, it will take a good portion of the day to complete, so don’t be surprised if they’re still working on it late into the afternoon.

Once that last pour is done, the construction team will be putting the finishing touches on the site work that’s already been done and you will soon see structural steel going up as the project goes vertical.

If you live in Eastside, please spread the word to your neighbors, and maybe stop and take a peek as the structural steel work begins. Please e-mail Nancy Giggy at nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com

June 16, 2019 - SHOUT OUT TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS WORKING ON EASTSIDE SCHOOL

CBSD and their design/construction team have been working for over a year, pulling together all the team players for the construction of the new Eastside School. Integrity Management Solutions, Steele Associates Architects and their associated consultants, and Chambers Construction have been involved for months on the design of the new school.

Back in March we posted an article about the efforts of local architect HGE, who worked with Johnson Rock and Arcadia Environmental to demolish the old Eastside School, plus other local businesses who were supporting the bond projects:

Scott Partney Construction;

Kyle Electric;

West Coast Fencing;

Coos Bay Printing;

Nasburg-Huggins Insurance;

Sol Coast;

Gold Coast Security; and

a local company who prefers to remain anonymous who is storing and restoring the bell from the old Eastside School for use on the new campus.

Now that we are ready to build the new school a number of a number of companies have joined the team, subcontractors who will provide skills in specific areas, several of whom are local. And we want to give a big shout out to those companies.

You’ve already seen Knife River excavating the site for the new building and West Coast Contractors placing and driving in the many foundation pilings. Kyle Electric is once again on site, working on the electrical and communications systems.

Soon you will also see:

Rubenstein’s Flooring, who will be providing floor coverings;

Tall Pine Contractors, who will be providing steel erection and rough carpentry; and

Tri-County Plumbing.

In addition to the previous work on abatement and demolition of the old Eastside Elementary, local subcontractors are providing 37% of the construction value for the new Eastside School.

Thank you Chambers, for pulling this team together! Thank you, Knife River, Kyle, Rubenstein’s, Tall Pine, Tri-County and West Coast Contractors for supporting our school bond program! We’re glad you’re working with us!

June 6, 2019 - Millicoma Work Schedule Changes

You may have heard that there is a LOT of construction going on all over the state, including a number of bond programs for the improvement of Oregon schools. In Portland, Salem, and all up and down the Willamette Valley multiple bond projects have begun, significantly increasing the demand for construction contractors across the state. When the Coos Bay School District bond construction team began advertising for subcontractors to perform the work, we were surprised at the dramatic increase in costs for construction, just in the last year. And while one might expect higher costs for us here on the coast, the professional estimators on our team are reporting similar costs across the state, including in Portland.

In order to be the best stewards of the money available from our bond project, the Coos Bay School District has recently reviewed and affirmed its initial priorities. As we said last month, our first priorities are the construction of the two new schools. The District intends to build strong, complete schools that will meet our needs for many years to come. In addition to those two new schools, the next priority is improving the safety and educational environment at three other schools: Madison, Millicoma, and Sunset.

Originally the plan was to perform renovations at Millicoma at the same time as the construction of Eastside, with the goal of efficiency as well as minimizing the disturbance to the Eastside community. However, with construction costs coming in so high, the District has decided to complete both Eastside School and Marshfield Junior High School before we move on to the renovations at the other three schools.

Once we know what the two new schools will cost to complete, and what funds we have remaining, the District’s next priority will be Madison School, which is most in need of renovations to improve safety. The District hopes to be able to combine bond funds with a seismic upgrade grant, which it will be reapplying for this year.

With the many and varied needs at all five schools, the District has decided to postpone the majority of the work planned for Millicoma School. However, the District intends to complete the exterior safety and security work at Millicoma as scheduled because it is part of the Eastside site improvements. The site work around Millicoma School, such as the playground, parking lots and drop-off/pick-up lanes, and the construction of a security vestibule, will be completed along with the Eastside school construction.

May 29, 2019 - Sheet Pilings Being Installed at Eastside

The installation of the foundation pilings for the new Eastside School is nearing completion and the next stage of building is set to begin: Our construction team will begin installing the sheet pilings that will form the retaining wall on the west side of the new campus. Not unlike the round pilings you saw going in over the last couple of weeks, these will need to be placed and then driven to depth.

The work will begin May 29, and will take 1-2 weeks. If you are driving near Millicoma or near the new Eastside site, please be aware as you turn towards the road in front of the schools. There will be a safety boundary established to keep both vehicle and pedestrian traffic safely back from the action.

May 15, 2019 - What is that I’m hearing?

The action continues on the Eastside/Millicoma campus as the foundational pilings are being set into position. If you are in Eastside you may be noticing the giant crane that lowers them into position and then vibrates them into place. This process will continue for the rest of this week and the first couple of days next week. Please remember also, the contractor will be pounding the pilings home this weekend and next. If you are sensitive to rhythmic pounding on your days off from work, this may be a great weekend to visit friends and family.

Anyone who’s been over to the Eastside/Millicoma campus recently has seen that there has been a lot of action there. The trees on the west and north sides of Millicoma School have been removed, new fencing has been installed around the playground and construction areas and a lot of big equipment has appeared on the future Eastside School site. Excavators are moving a lot of soil and dump trucks are coming and going. This coming week, the new pilings will be delivered and vibrating them into position will begin in the next week or so.

With so much additional activity, please remember to use extra caution when walking or driving around the campus. Look around you for vehicles approaching and respect the safety boundaries. Drop off and Pick up times can be particularly confusing with all the extra vehicles so, for everyone’s safety, please take a few extra seconds to slow down and be aware of what’s going on around you.

If you’ve ever tried to redo your kitchen or add a closet to your home, you’ve probably experienced the adventure that is construction. First you decide to just replace this section of cabinets; then you start thinking about replacing the flooring and all the appliances and pretty soon you’re pulling your hair out. Then you remember the basics: 1) You have things that NEED to happen and things you WOULD LIKE to see happen; and 2) You have a budget.

Construction of the two new schools in Coos Bay, and the renovations at three others, are kind of like your kitchen...on a really big scale. There is no doubt that the school district faces challenges, and there has been a lot of speculation about how they will meet those challenges. So, in the interest of calming fears and answering concerns, this is a good time to update you, the folks most affected by these projects, with a little information.

Let’s start with the challenges.

1) When the school district first looked at a bond program, five years ago, an assessment was done on each of the five schools--what needed to be done, and how much it would cost to do that work. The estimated costs were published in 2015 but were actually based on 2014 prices. In the intervening years construction costs have risen an average of 4-5% each year. Supply costs have increased, and skilled craftsmen are in limited supply, making it harder to find companies available to perform the work and do so within budget.

2) The buildings that were assessed for upgrades and replacement five years ago have aged another five years. While this might not seem like much, consider that Millicoma School was built in 1963. Had the bond passed at a much higher level, Millicoma School might well be on the list of schools to replace.

3) The original assessment identified a much higher range of costs to complete the work needed on the Coos Bay Schools, but the school district decided to limit the work they would do to what was most critical. Even then, when the original bond measure went out, it was voted down. In order to pass the bond, $5 million was slashed off the total, which means that the assessed work that needed to be done on these five schools was determined to be $65 million dollars, five years ago, but we now have $60 million to do that same work.

4) As with many projects, there have been surprises. For instance, the original plan was to keep the gym at the Harding Learning Center and add a new junior high school and gym. However, when the team looked closely at the Harding Learning Center, they found that when the gym was added to the original 1923 school, it was not constructed as a separate building, adjacent to the school. It had, in fact, been tacked on to the existing walls. What this means is that if we touch the school, the gym will not be able to stand alone. It must, therefore, be demolished when the school is demolished.

Sound intimidating yet?

So, what is the school district going to do?

1) Well the first thing the school district did was hire a construction management firm to represent their interests. This construction manager is working closely with the district leaders and architect to refine the priorities and needs for the various schools versus wants. In addition, they have assisted the district in negotiations with the architect and the construction team and work to keep the project moving forward on schedule and within budget.

2) The school district opted to use what’s called the CM/GC method, which involves hiring a general contractor early on in design, who works with the construction manager and architect and together they study the constructability of the plans and find potential issues that are resolved before they become real issues. By working together before construction even begins, they make the process as efficient as possible, saving time and money.

3) The district is working closely with school staff to determine not only what each school needs, but what each school would like to have. Priorities have been determined and staff has provided valuable input with regards to the type of spaces they need to do their job, and the kinds of facilities they need to provide the best possible educational experience for your children.

4) Value Engineering is a tool used in construction and has proven to be vital in streamlining costs for various aspects of the schools. By looking at alternative construction methods, alternate materials, and talking to subcontractors about options, the team has found a number of creative ways to cut costs without cutting quality. An example of this is the pilings required for the new Eastside School, which was another surprise that added significant cost. By working with a local subcontractor exploring options, the construction team came up with savings of more than $600,000 for this item alone.

5) Each one of the items listed above has individually provided ways to cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from the budget, resulting in millions of dollars in savings already without forcing us to cut educational space that the district must have.

6) Most important of all, the school district has determined, and has given the design/construction team the following directives:

a) Educational space comes first. If something has to be saved for later or simply done without, it will not be educational space;

b) Money that has been allotted to each school for things that are necessary are budgeted for that school, and will not be diverted to other projects;

c) The new Eastside School and the new Marshfield JHS will be done well, but not wastefully. These will be nice schools, that will be valuable for years to come, but they will not take away from other schools with frills that are not necessary;

d) All work promised to the community will be done within the budget we have. The school district has no intention of asking the community for more.

So, the answer to the question is, yes, the school district leaders are committed that the bond project will accomplish what it was intended to accomplish, within the budget it was given. When it is completed, there will be a new K-2 school in Eastside and the youngest students will be out of Blossom Gulch school; The Harding Learning Center will be replaced by the Marshfield Junior High School, with an attached gym; Madison will receive a number of changes and upgrades which, in addition to providing better security and better functionality, will give it a new look; and Millicoma and Sunset schools will have new security vestibules as well as the renovations required to make them safer and healthier learning environments.

Plans have been submitted to the City for approval and the construction team is warming up to begin work on the new Eastside School and Millicoma School campuses in early April. The construction team is in the final stages of planning phasing for the intricacies of the projects, which includes not only the construction of the new Eastside School, but roof and HVAC renovations and the addition of two new classrooms and security vestibule at Millicoma School.

The public is invited to join the School District’s team at our second Community Meeting on April 2 at 6:00 pm in the Millicoma School Library, 260 2^nd Ave, Coos Bay. Chambers Construction will be on hand to present their construction schedule and answer questions. The District’s construction management consultant, Integrity Management Solutions, will also be answering questions about the overall project.

Watch for the upcoming flyer for the Eastside School groundbreaking ceremony, scheduled for April 12 at noon. Construction on both schools will continue through the summer and the next academic year. Some work at Millicoma will have to be performed while class is in session but will be phased, with class schedules in mind, to cause the least impact on students. All work at both schools should be completed by July 2020, allowing the School District time to complete interior furnishings in time for the 20/21 school year.

Email Nancy Giggy from Integrity Management Solutions at nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com, if you have any questions.

Construction on the new Eastside School and renovations at Millicoma School are scheduled to begin in mid-April. Bid packages for portions of the work to be performed have been posted in the DJC, The World and at plan centers. If you or someone you know is a construction contractor, we encourage you to look for the advertisements for these services.

Work Package Documents are available at Regional and Local Plan Centers or can be downloaded from Chambers’ plan room at https://planroom.chambersconstruction.com

The Deadline for submissions is 2:00 p.m. on April 4, 2019.

This is one of the big questions the School District has heard since we first started the Bond program. The district has been committed to reach out to local companies to include them on the projects whenever possible. As we complete the first year of pre-construction work, we are excited to report that we have already incorporated the services of a number of local businesses, before we’ve even broken ground!

So this is a big shout out to local architect HGE, who worked with Johnson Rock and Arcadia Environmental to demolish the old Eastside School; to Partney Construction, Kyle Electric, West Coast Fencing, and West Coast Contractors, who will be providing the piling system for the new Eastside School. Also to Nasburg-Huggins Insurance, Coos Bay Printing and Gold Coast Security who are providing support services to these projects.

We’d also like to express our thanks to The World and Coos History Museum for helping us meet SHPO requirements and a local company, who prefers to remain anonymous, who has supported these projects by storing and restoring the bell from the old Eastside School. Also to Sol Coast Consulting and Design, who has been a great help in meeting Energy Trust standards for our new schools.

COOS BAY SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE OF INTENT TO PURCHASE VIA SOLE SOURCE METHOD. Pursuant to OAR 137-047-0275, OAR 125-247-0691 and ORS 279B.075, Coos Bay School District intends to sole-source purchase the following for their Eastside School project beginning in March 2019: (1) packaged domestic booster pump system by QuantumFlo to provide one plug-and-play system as opposed to assembled system by multiple contractors, (2) DDC system by Johnson FX to meet District standards, (3) horizontal and backbone system by Panduit to meet District standards, (4) access control system by Vanderbuilt to meet District standards, (5) video surveillance system by Exacqvision with Axis cameras to meet District standards, and (6) locksets by Schlage to meet District standards. Written comments or protests must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM (PST) on March 13, 2019. Written protests received after this deadline will not be considered. Submittals should be addressed to District Bond Program Manager, Chris Giggy, Integrity Management Solutions, c/o Coos Bay School District, 1255 Hemlock Avenue, Coos Bay, OR 97420.

Eastside School (A brand new state of the art elementary school)

· Schematic Design is complete, and plans are being submitted to the City for permitting.

· After permitting, our General Contractor will be going out to bid for the project. This will take place in March.

· We hope to break ground the first part of April. We will be having a ground-breaking ceremony so stay tuned for the date.

· Projected opening Fall of 2020

Millicoma School

· Work will begin this summer on the renovations to Millicoma which include roof, HVAC, flooring, paint, a two-classroom addition, and a new entry vestibule. In addition, seismic upgrade work will be done to reinforce the walls and ceilings.

· New parking lots and drop off areas will be incorporated into both buildings as we look to make this one big k-6 campus.

· Projected completion Fall of 2020

Newly named Marshfield Junior High School (A brand new state of the art 7/8 building)

· We have begun the programming phase where we list the things we want in our new school. This is the same process we went through with Eastside School. We begin with a wish list and once schematic design begins and cost analysis is done, we make decisions that will help us keep the project within budget. We are early in the process but should begin the initial schematic design in the next few months.

· Projected Opening Fall of 2021

Harding Learning Center

· Scheduled for demolition in the Fall. All programs are going to be temporarily relocated to Milner Crest and MHS.

· We will be having a “Goodbye” event like we did for Eastside School sometime around the beginning of school next Fall.

Madison/ Sunset renovation projects

· Madison school will get a thorough remodel and additional library/classroom space. This will eliminate the relocatable classrooms.

· Sunset will get necessary upgrades to the roof and HVAC system as well as updated flooring, paint, and security features.

· Programming and beginning design to begin once we complete the schematic design of Marshfield Junior High School.

The Coos Bay schools design team is looking for a CMGC for the new junior high school that will be replacing the Harding building!

In December, CBSD leadership and staff began Programming Design discussions with the bond projects design team. Programming is the first stage of design, in which options are looked at to decide what all needs to be included in the new middle school: how many classrooms, how many offices, library, commons, gyms, etc.

With Programming complete, it is time to bring a CMGC, a construction manager/general contractor, on board. A Request for Proposals was announced today in the Daily Journal of Commerce and in The World. Click on the RFP link to see the announcement, RFP, and Programming Document. While it is still very early in the process it’s exciting to be moving into Schematic Design and to be taking this next important step towards building our second new school.

If you have any questions about this exciting project, please feel free to email Nancy, with Integrity Management Solutions, our construction management consultant: nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com

Q: Which schools will be worked on first?

A: Due to the need to get the kids out of Blossom Gulch and into a safer and more age appropriate school setting, the first building priority is the construction of the new Eastside School. This school will be designed and built to educate kindergarteners through second graders. Not only will it remove the District’s youngest students from a sinking school determined by the state to be in a tsunami inundation zone, it will provide our students with a school that meets all current seismic codes and includes the addition of a security vestibule to control who can come on to the campus during school hours and what parts of the building they have access to.

Q: When will construction of the new Eastside School begin?

A: The District has received Site Plan approval from the City of Coos Bay. With permitting, we expect Eastside construction to begin in mid-April 2019 with Millicoma construction beginning after school is out in June. We anticipate the work at both schools to be completed Summer 2020.

Q: Where can I see the plans for the new school?

A: Go to the bond website at https://sites.google.com/cbk12.com/cbd9bondconstruction/home

Q: How many square feet are in the classrooms?

A: 900 sq ft.

Q: What is being done to save the historical significance of the old Eastside Elementary School?

A: The District is working with the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) to preserve some of Eastside’s heritage. The bell will be renovated and incorporated in the new site. Other pieces of historical significance will be incorporated into a historical display. For more information on those programs, please see the SHPO website.

Q: Is there a seismic upgrade planned for Millicoma School?

A: While a seismic upgrade was initially included in the Needs Assessment for the Bond program, that Bond request did not pass. When the Bond went out again in 2017, the Millicoma seismic upgrade was removed. However, because safety is one of the District’s top priorities with the upcoming renovations, some seismic improvements will be made where possible within the scope of the budget and determined improvements.

Q: What are you doing about all the extra traffic coming to Eastside?

A: As part of the larger Eastside/Millicoma project, a traffic analysis was completed in October 2018. While there will no doubt be extra traffic coming into Eastside with the construction and subsequent opening of the new school, the District will be working with the neighborhood to work out the best possible bus routes during high traffic hours. In addition, our architects and engineers are working hard to design the routes around the campus to minimize disruption while increasing pedestrian safety at pick up and drop off points. It should be noted as well that ODOT is currently making improvements on the bridge to Eastside and the City of Coos Bay will be working on their own project to improve the connection from the bridge to the school itself. When all three projects are complete we anticipate a smoother connection to the school, as well as improved conditions for students who choose to walk or ride their bikes to school.

Q: Is the District going to cut down trees on the Millicoma campus?

A: Yes. The trees along the north and northwest side of the Millicoma campus are within the Right of Way and, as part of the new traffic and parking plan, will need to be removed. However, the District will be replacing those trees with more school friendly trees, as required by the City of Coos Bay.

Q: What will happen to the garden/greenhouse and emergency storage container at Millicoma School?

A: The current garden, greenhouse and emergency storage container are located where the new classroom addition and north parking lot will be added. They will need to be moved or demolished when construction begins. The District will work with interested parties to relocate them to an appropriate location on the campus.

Q: What happens next?

A: Now that we are in the final design phase for Eastside, the District is starting discussions about the new junior high school. Design began on Harding in December 2018.

Both Madison and Sunset Schools will also see renovations and the design for those will begin later this year (2019). The District has applied for a grant that may positively affect renovations at Madison School.

Q: What will happen to all the programs at the Harding Learning Center?

A: The District has been working with the program directors to find suitable locations for each of the programs. Several programs are expected to move to the Milner Crest campus. Final decisions will be made before the Harding building is demolished.

Q: Where can I find updates about these projects?

A: The District regularly posts updated information on the bond website and on their Facebook account. https://sites.google.com/cbk12.com/cbd9bondconstruction/home www.facebook.com/CoosBaySchoolDistrict

Q: My questions aren’t answered here. Who can I contact to find out more?

A: If you would like more information please feel free to email Nancy Giggy, with Integrity Management Solutions, the District’s Project Management team. Nancy can be reached at nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com.

While there’s not a lot of visible change at Eastside a lot continues to happen with our Bond projects. The demolition of the old Eastside School has been completed and all debris has been removed. While many are saying goodbye to an old alma mater, it is exciting to see the campus ready for new construction to begin.

We are also excited to report that the City of Coos Bay Planning Commission has approved the Site Plan for the new Eastside School. This is the first step in preparing for permits. We are in the final stage of design of the building, playground and parking areas and are on schedule to have all permits and be ready to begin construction in the spring 2019! The District expects work to begin at Millicoma at the same time.

The District has also begun looking at what will be needed in the new Jr. High school for our 7^th and 8^th graders. Programming began in November and should be done by February.

Q: Which schools will be worked on first?

A: Due to the need to get the kids out of Blossom Gulch and into a safer and more age appropriate school setting, the first building priority is the construction of the new Eastside School. This school will be designed and built to educate kindergarteners through second graders. Not only will it remove the District’s youngest students from a sinking school determined by the state to be in a tsunami inundation zone, it will provide our students with a school that meets all current seismic codes and includes the addition of a security vestibule to control who can come on to the campus during school hours and what parts of the building they have access to.

Q: When does demolition begin at Eastside?

A: Demolition of the old school began November 5. It is expected to take about a month.

Q: When will construction of the new Eastside School begin?

A: The District has turned the Site Plan in to the City of Coos Bay for review. With permitting, we hope to start construction in May-June 2019. It is expected to be completed Summer 2020.

Q: Where can I see the plans for the new school?

A: Go to the bond website at https://sites.google.com/cbk12.com/cbd9bondconstruction/home

Q: How many square feet are in the classrooms?

A: When the older buildings were built, there were different industry requirements and classrooms were designed slightly larger. The classrooms being designed now have the current industry standard of 900 sq. ft.

Q: What is being done to save the historical significance of the old Eastside Elementary School?

A: The District is working with the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) to preserve some of Eastside’s heritage. The bell will be renovated and incorporated in the new site. Other pieces of historical significance will be incorporated into a historical display. For more information on those programs, please see the SHPO website.

Q: Is there a seismic upgrade planned for Millicoma School?

A: While a seismic upgrade was initially included in the Needs Assessment for the Bond program, that Bond request did not pass. When the Bond went out again in 2017, the Millicoma seismic upgrade was removed. However, because safety is one of the District’s top priorities with the upcoming renovations, some seismic improvements will be made where possible within the scope of the budget and determined improvements.

Q: What are you doing about all the extra traffic coming to Eastside?

A: As part of the larger Eastside/Millicoma project, a traffic analysis was completed in October 2018. The results of that analysis have been submitted, with the Site Plan, for review by the City of Coos Bay, and engineers are designing the best traffic flow plan for the area.

Q: Is the District going to cut down trees on the Millicoma campus?

A: Yes. The trees along the north and northwest side of the Millicoma campus are within the Right of Way and, as part of the new traffic and parking plan, will need to be removed. However, the District will be replacing those trees with more school friendly trees, as required by the City of Coos Bay.

Q: What will happen to the garden, greenhouse and emergency storage container at Millicoma School?

A: The current garden, greenhouse and emergency storage container are located where the new classroom addition and north parking lot will be located. They will need to be moved or demolished when construction begins. The District will work with interested parties to relocate them to an appropriate location on the campus.

Q: What happens next?

A: Now that we are in the final design phase for Eastside, the District is starting discussions about the new middle school currently located at the Harding Learning Center site. Design will begin on the middle school in January 2019. Both Madison and Sunset Schools will also see renovations, and the design for those will begin later next year (2019). The District has applied for a grant that may positively affect renovations at Madison School.

Q: How are students being transitioned during construction?

A: Once Eastside School is complete, the school boundary lines will be reviewed to ensure balanced enrollment in the K-6^th grade schools. Eastside and Madison Schools will be K-2^nd grade. Millicoma and Sunset Schools will be 3^rd – 6^th. Seventh graders will be temporarily moved to Blossom Gulch until the new middle school is complete at the current Harding Learning Center site.

Q: Where can I find updates about these projects?

A: The District regularly posts updated information on the bond website and on their Facebook account. https://sites.google.com/cbk12.com/cbd9bondconstruction/home www.facebook.com/CoosBaySchoolDistrict

Q: My questions aren’t answered here. Who can I contact to find out more?

A: If you would like more information please feel free to email Nancy Giggy, with Integrity Management Solutions, the District’s Project Management team. Nancy can be reached at nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com.

November 1, 2018 - Renderings of Eastside & Millicoma Schools

Last week the District hosted a community meeting in Eastside to answer questions about the construction of the new Eastside School as well as the upcoming renovations at Millicoma School. During that meeting Darek Olson, Steele Associates Architects Project Manager, presented renderings of the schools as they are currently conceived.

After last month’s Value Engineering discussions, the plans have been tightened and great decisions were made as to how to best improve safety as well as the learning environment at Millicoma School. Millicoma will be seeing the addition of a security vestibule in the lobby area as well as the addition of two new classrooms to replace the old moveable classrooms on the north end of campus. They will also be receiving a new roof and HVAC system that will greatly help the classroom environment.

In addition, both schools will receive new playground areas with improved surfaces and some new equipment. Pick up/drop off areas and parking lots all around the school will be replaced and improved, again improving safety, as well as working to make the flow of traffic in the neighborhood more fluid. Using a recent traffic analysis performed for this purpose, and in conjunction with work that the City of Coos Bay hopes to perform in the neighborhood, the District looks forward to a much safer, better-working traffic and parking scenario that will benefit not only the kids at the two schools, but everyone in the community.

Demolition of the old Eastside Elementary is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 5! As exciting as this next step is, and as fascinating as it is to watch building demolition, please be aware of the added dynamic of confusion and stress that can accompany it.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents dropping off and picking students up will need to adjust where and how they do this. The alley way between the fire station and campus which parents have been using will be closed during this construction phase. 4^th Ave will still be open, but traffic will be congested, with cars moving both ways. We encourage parents to drop off students at the front of the school, using the bus lane.

Please be patient and cooperate with Millicoma School staff who will be doing their best to provide for the safety of the kids by directing traffic.

Due to the traffic concerns in Eastside, demolition will begin after the early morning work/school rush subsides. Demolition is expected to take about a month.

Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. November 8, 2018 at Chambers Construction offices, 3028 Judkins Road, #1 Eugene, OR 97403. There will be a mandatory pre-proposal conference at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 30st, 2018 at the Millicoma School Library, 303 D Street, Coos Bay Oregon. This will be followed by a Q & A session. If your company is interested in proposing, the RFP Document is available at Regional and Local Plan Centers and can be downloaded from our plan room at https://planroom.chambersconstruction.com

September 2018 - Safety Preparations and Abatement begin this week at Eastside.

The time has come to begin hazardous material abatement and demolition at the old Eastside School. For those of you living in Eastside, you probably saw West Coast Fencing installing a safety perimeter fence around the school Thursday and Friday. What won’t be so visible is the abatement work on the inside, scheduled to begin shortly. Arcadia Environmental will be onsite to safely tear out materials that contain asbestos before demolition begins in early November.

October 29, 2018 - NEWS FLASH!!

As we move forward on the school projects we are gearing up to start work at Millicoma School. Chambers Construction, on behalf of the Coos Bay School District, is soliciting proposals from Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing contractors to provide design-build services for the renovation and addition to the Millicoma School. The Millicoma campus will be occupied during construction except for summer, winter and spring breaks. Some renovations at the Millicoma School will occur with classes in session. Also, the campus is bordered by homes on most sides.

Eastside Community Meeting - October 25, 6:00 pm in the Millicoma Library

For months now, we have been posting updates about what has been going on behind the scenes with the Best Bond program. There have been signs of movement on the Eastside/Millicoma campus as tanks and boilers have been removed, testing has been performed on soils, and now a fence has been erected to protect the students of Millicoma from hazardous materials while abatement goes on inside the old Eastside building. We'll be seeing demolition of the old Eastside School in the next couple of weeks. If you’re watching all this activity, chances are you have a million questions.

We are excited to announce that there will be an informational meeting on October 25, at 6:00 pm in the Millicoma Library. Integrity Management Solutions (the District’s construction management team), Steele Architects, a representative from the City of Coos Bay and members of the Coos Bay School District leadership will be on hand to give you the low down on how the projects are progressing, where we stand, and where we are going.

If you have students at Blossom Gulch who will be attending the new Eastside School, this is an opportunity to see the current plan. Plans for Millicoma School renovations will also be shared. And even if you don’t have school aged children, but live in Eastside, you can get a first glimpse at how the new school will benefit your neighborhood. We hope you’ll join us and get the latest information on the exciting activity going on in your neighborhood, and the exciting educational facility improvements that are coming your way.

September 2018 - First peek at the new Eastside School!

The Design Team for the Coos Bay School District New Eastside School has been hard at work and you will see below the first renderings, produced by Steele Architects. Many hours of terrific work with principals, teachers, and District Leaders are represented here. While these drawings are not yet finalized, they do represent about the half way point to the final design and the District is very happy with the results so far.

September 2018 - CM/GC Team hired for new Eastside School and Millicoma renovation

We are very excited to announce that the District has hired a CM/GC (Construction Manager/General Contractor) team, Chambers Construction, to build the new Eastside School and renovate Millicoma! Chambers Construction has 63 years’ experience in a variety of projects including educational facilities. They are experienced in building in the coastal environment, including in Coos Bay with the Mill Casino, Coos Gaming Hall, and the remodel of the Coos Bay City Hall and Police Station.

Chambers has engaged, as part of their team, local builder Scott Partney Construction. These two companies have worked together previously on both the Mill Casino and the Coos Bay City Hall and Police Station. Owner Scott Partney will provide consulting services during Pre-Construction, assisting with constructability, site logistics, and cost estimating. Chambers and Partney will be joining the Design team immediately to work with the District and Architects as we move forward through the final stages of Schematic Design and on to Detailed Design.

August 2018 - Demolition Bids being accepted

More action on the Eastside/Millicoma campus! It’s time to start taking out the old in preparation for the new at the site of the old Eastside School. An announcement appeared in the Daily Journal of Commerce on August 8, and in The World, August 9, advertising for a firm to perform Abatement and Demolition.

The contracted work will include asbestos abatement, building demolition, building recycle and salvage, earthwork, and other work as noted in the Construction Documents (specifications and drawings, available to bidding companies). If your company, or one you know, is interested in bidding on this project, please check out the advertisements. Bids are due by 4:00 pm August 28, 2018.

August 7, 2018

Oregon Geotech firm, Earth Engineers, Inc., was onsite at Eastside/Millicoma schools last week, investigating soils and the existing retaining wall that partially encloses two sides of the project perimeter. Soil boring samples were taken from the school grounds, ReMi geophysical testing was performed for a seismic evaluation, and ground penetrating radar was used to explore the integrity of the existing retaining wall. It will be several weeks before the District receives all the results from the test samples but they will assist the Design Team in refining both the site and building plans for the new school .

JULY 16, 2018 - Latest on Eastside and Next Steps

If you’ve been over to Eastside lately, you may not have noticed a lot of change in the Eastside/Millicoma campus yet. But while there is not a lot of visible action in Eastside, there is a lot going on behind the scenes as progress continues towards the demolition of the old Eastside school, in preparation for the construction of the new one. Thanks to the hard work of the CBSD Facilities crew, desks and equipment that had been stored in Eastside have now been sold or given away and are now out of the school and it is time to start prepping the school itself for demolition.

As a first step, local contractors Johnson Rock Products and Arcadia Environmental came on site earlier this month to remove an 8000 gallon fuel oil tank at the edge of the school grounds. Buried beneath the sidewalk and yard at the front of Eastside, the tank had been part of the school for 60-70 years. At the same time, the basement boilers were deconstructed and removed. Next on the agenda is hazardous material abatement, with the removal of asbestos laden materials, and then the actual building demolition will occur later this summer.

On another front, Steele Architects has completed the Programming Design Phase for the new Eastside School and is now beginning Schematic Design. For those not involved in the world of construction, Programming is the phase when, if you think of the new school as a box, decisions are made as to what all should go in that box: How many classrooms, offices, specialty rooms, gyms, common spaces, even closets and vestibules. Moving on to Schematic Design, the project team will be deciding where to put all those rooms and facilities, what size they should be and how they should be connected. Simultaneously, design will begin on the renovations and addition to Millicoma School. District leadership and school staff have been great sources of information and insight and are involved in reviewing the design each step of the way.

So, what is next? Well, at this stage in the process, it’s time to select a general contractor to join the project team. With that in mind, an advertisement was published in The World and in the Daily Journal of Commerce today, requesting proposals from general contractors for CM/GC services for both the Eastside and Millicoma Schools. The CM/GC will work with the Construction Manager and the Architect as the project progresses, incorporating their special knowledge of construction into the final plans, reducing cost and schedule delays. If you or someone you know is a general contractor that might be interested in this project, check out the advertisement. There will be a mandatory pre-proposal meeting on July 24^th at 10:30 AM to get an overview of the project and do a walk-through of the site. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM on August 7.

July 12, 2018 - Eastside Final Give-Away

On July 12th from 8:00 - 2:00, all remaining items at Eastside School will be FREE. Come pick up what you can't live without. The school is located at 303 D St. in Eastside.

The building will soon be demolished, making way for a new school on the Eastside campus. Before abatement begins, Coos Bay School District #9 must remove the many items that have been stored in the building. The building will be open to the public on July 12 at which time any remaining items will be free.

The District has already selected items to move into their limited storage facilities and accommodated current staff needs with available items. A public sale was held on June 23.

The District has also reached out to public facilities and local non-profits offering them items as well. These include Marshfield High School-Community Emergency Response Team, Coos Bay Public Library, Coos County 4-H, Common Ground Mediation, Christ Lutheran School, and Habitat for Humanity.

June 23, 2018 - Eastside Garage Sale

Coos Bay School District will be holding a sale at Eastside Elementary School on Saturday, June 23^rd from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Items to be sold will be student chairs, office desks, file cabinets, tables and other miscellaneous items used in earlier years and all past their prime and serviceability for use in school today. Most of these items will be sold using a “make an offer approach.” There will be some items that will be sold using sealed bid. Those items consist of older model televisions, older Hobart mixers and parts, stainless steel, Pitco Frialators, Blodgett, double stack convection oven, residential style ovens and a Hobart commercial dishwasher.

All items are sold “As Is.” You can pick up a form identifying sealed bid items the day of the sale. If you think you might be interested in making an offer or submitting a bid please join us. Personal checks will be accepted as will the exact amount in a currency purchase, change will not be made. Debit and credit cards will not be accepted, and buyer will be responsible for removal of purchased items.

June 2018 - Announcement for Finding of Fact Hearing on June 27, 2018

EXEMPTION FROM COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT

COOS BAY SCHOOL DISTRICT #9 EXEMPTION FROM COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Board of Directors of Coos Bay School District #9, acting as the School District’s Local Contract Review Board (LCRB), will conduct a Public Hearing at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, at the District Office, 1255 Hemlock Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear comments on the School District’s draft Findings in support of an exemption from competitive bidding under ORS 279C.335(2) for the project known as the Coos Bay Best Bond Project. The School District is requesting the exemption to allow the use of an alternative procurement method known as “Construction Manager/General Contractor Request for Proposals.” The CM/GC contracting method involves the CM/GC in creating a final constructible design, allowing potential risks to be addressed early. Selection is based on a combination of qualifications, technical approach, and guaranteed maximum price. Copies of the draft Findings are on file and available for review at the School District Office, 1255 Hemlock Ave, Coos Bay, OR. If approved by the LCRB, the exemption from competitive bidding for a public improvement will permit Coos Bay School District #9 to engage in a CM/GC Request for Proposals for the procurement of a Construction Manager/General Contractor for the Coos Bay New Eastside School and Millicoma Renovations Projects.

If you would like to receive an electronic copy of the Finding of Facts, please send requests to nancyg@integritymgmtsolns.com.

May 2018 - Architect and Engineering Firm Chosen

Steele Associates Architects, LLC, has been contracted to provide design services for both the new schools where Eastside and Harding now stand, as well as the renovations at Millicoma, Madison and Sunset Schools. We are very excited to have them on board! Steele Associates is based in Bend, Oregon, and has worked on other projects in the Coos Bay area including the new FedEx Ground Facility and Facilities for ODOT.

Founder Scott Steele is a native Oregonian and an educational design expert with nearly 30 years’ experience. Derek Olson, the team’s Project Manager, is a local, who grew up and attended school here. Adam Stephen, who will perform quality control reviews for Steele, has deep local roots. His mother and many other family members attended school here, his grandfather, Wayne B. Young, worked for the District for 36 years, and his great-grandparents (Wayne Sr. and Mary Young) were both teachers in the district. Project Civil Engineer, Jim Pex, is also from Coos Bay, and has family living here.

Steele Associates Architects Team is excited to be working with the District and brings with them a team with wide ranging skill sets, including Interface Engineering (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing), Froelich Engineering (Structural), Century West Engineering (civil/survey), Halliday Associates (kitchen), J Battleson Designs (landscape), and ACC Cost Consultants. Century West currently also serves as City;s Transportation Engineer for the City of Coos Bay.

April 4, 2018 – Results of Bond Sale

COOS BAY – Today, Coos Bay School District sold $40 million of the $59.995 million General Obligation (GO) bonds approved by voters in the November 7, 2017 election.

Thanks to a strong investor reception and low interest rate environment, the District sold $40 million in bonds but will receive $46.2 million for capital projects to be completed over the next few years.

In March Standard and Poors Global assigned the District an A+ underlying rating and an AA+ long term rating due in large part to several years of consistently strong financial performance and very strong ending fund balances. The District also made a purchase of insurance on the bonds through Oregon’s School Bond Guaranty Program, which made them even more attractive to investors.

“As a result of our healthy ending fund balances, strong bond rating and today’s favorable market condition, we were able to gain a premium of $6.2 million to help us insure that all the projects voters approved can be completed” said Coos Bay School District Business Manager Candace McGowne.

The District is scheduled to sell the remaining bonds in 2021.

March, 2018 – RFP for Architectural and Engineering Services

A mandatory pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for March 29th, sealed proposals are due April 18th.

For more information or for clarification of any part of this RFP the District point of contact is Candace McGowne, Business Manager, Coos Bay School District, 1255 Hemlock, Ave. Questions must be in writing and must be submitted NO LATER than March 30th at 3:00 PM.

Jan. 23, 2018 – Pre-Proposal Meeting

The District held a pre-proposal meeting for construction management firms on January 23, 2018 to ask questions about the projects or proposal process. The meeting was mandatory for potential proposers. Click here for list of meeting attendees.

Jan. 9, 2018 – Coos Bay School District accepting RFP for Construction Management Services

Request for Proposals (RFP) are being accepted for Construction Management Services are being accepted. Click here for more information.

Proposals are due February 5, 2018, by 3:00 PM.

For more information or for clarification of any part of this RFP the District point of contact is Candace McGowne, Business Manager, Coos Bay School District, 1255 Hemlock, Ave., Questions must be in writing and must be submitted NO LATER than January 24th at 3:00 PM.

The Facilities Planning Committee met on November 30th. Click here for the notes.