A Guide to the Building and Grounds Modification Process
Purpose: To provide a brief background on the existing process for requesting and approving modifications to buildings and grounds.
Projects designed to modify an existing facility or property can enhance the school experience, the school itself, and/or the community served by the school. School staff, parent organizations, and other groups, individually or together, may identify a project for consideration. When the identified project will change the building interior or exterior in a permanent way or add a fixture which will require future repair, renovation and/or replacement, a Building and Grounds Modification Form must be submitted and approved prior to the start of the project.
When reviewing a Building and Grounds Modification request, both short-term and long-term implications must be considered along with applicable legislation, regulations, code and zoning requirements, and relevant policies to ensure a successful project. Ultimately, the project must be sustainable with reasonable ongoing costs for maintenance, repair, and replacement.
Overview of the Building and Grounds Modification Process
Identify a possible project, gather data and information. This should include asking for support from an appropriate SMCPS department prior to completing the form. Please call to discuss your request prior to submission.
Complete the Building and Grounds Modification Form, including all backup data, drawings, budget information, timeline, project contact person, and other relevant information. The site administrator is responsible for coordinating the submission of requests by outside groups (i.e., scouts, PTA/PTO, etc.).
Submit the form to Wes King in Design and Construction by filling out the online building modification form. The Division of Supporting Services review process includes all relevant SMCPS departments. The review generally takes two weeks, but can take longer depending on complexity.
The site administrator will be contacted in a timely manner to discuss the request (a site visit may be warranted) and to ensure all required and requested information has been provided and clarified. The site administrator is responsible for follow up with the originator of the request.
The request will be given a priority level assignment and either sent through the Division of Supporting Services approval process or placed in a queue pending receipt of additional information or budgetary allocation. The request may be denied prior to going through the approval process if extensive design requirements are necessary, if costs are anticipated to be prohibitive, and/or the project is not an essential or necessary improvement
The Division of Supporting Services approval process will take approximately 2 weeks in order for the request to be properly vetted.
Once vetted and all information is considered, a recommendation will be provided to the Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services. A decision will be made based on the recommendation and assigned priority level.
The site administrator will receive communication regarding the status of the request. While pending, the site administrator may contact Wes King in Design and Construction for updates if desired.
At the end of each year the Division of Supporting Services will either place building modification requests not completed during the school year into the budget process for consideration or communicate to the site administrator that the modification will no longer be considered. Resubmission is an option.
An approved project can proceed based on the conditions and directions provided in the notification.