Bond Update: District Gearing Up for Final Five Projects

The Final Five Projects

The Corvallis School District Facilities Bond Program is now preparing for the final five projects of the facilities improvements bond approved by voters in May, 2018. Priorities of the bond program include safety and security enhancements, capacity improvements at K-5 schools, modernizing classrooms, and completing critical renovations and repairs of school facilities. 

Kim Patten, Director of Facilities and Transportation, has been leading this work since the early planning stages in 2015 and has spent hundreds of hours with construction managers and supervisors to ensure the project meets the goals of the District and provides the greatest return on investment to Corvallis voters. “We are so grateful for the hundreds of staff, parents, and community members who have contributed to the design process,” shared Ms. Patten. “It’s exciting to see our core values come to life in these school projects. Our community has been involved every step of the way—from our inclusive practices in school design advisory committees, our broad thinking about adaptive and flexible learning areas, and our commitment to technical guidelines for sustainability— we know that these projects are a reflection of the ideas and input we received. I think the final results are something we can be proud of as a community.”

Planning and design work for the bond program began in the summer of 2018 with construction on smaller projects starting throughout the district in July 2018.  Five remaining projects remain and will be completed by 2023. Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMPs) have been approved by the school board for four of the five projects with the Harding Center/College Hill Project planned for a spring board approval. Links to the planned projects are included below.

Starting this spring

Adams Elementary – major renovations [view the planned improvements]
Franklin K-8 – major renovations [view the planned improvements]

Starting this summer

Cheldelin Middle School – HVAC and seismic second phase work [view the planned improvements]
Mt. View Elementary – major renovations [view the planned improvements]
Harding Center/College Hill – major renovations [view the planned improvements]

Completed (or nearing completion) bond program projects 

View each school’s Project Page for details about bond improvements completed at the school.

• Seismic upgrades at Adams, Kathryn Jones Harrison, Letitia Carson Elementary Schools
• Track resurfacing at Cheldelin MS, Linus Pauling MS, Corvallis HS, and Crescent Valley HS
• New roof and renovated softball facility at Corvallis HS
• New Lincoln Elementary school building (some site work still underway)
• Major renovations at Garfield Elementary including seismic upgrades
• Front office, CTE classroom, and library renovations at Cheldelin MS (phase 1) including seismic upgrades
• New Bessie Coleman Elementary school building (site work still underway)

Current Projects

Midway through the 2021-22 school year, four schools are currently operating while under construction and are well on the way to completion in 2022.

• Career & Technical Education (CTE) renovations at CHS and CVHS are nearing completion with seismic upgrades at CVHS scheduled to begin this summer.
• Kathryn Jones Harrison Elementary new permanent classroom construction is underway. The renovated library and office/administration areas will be completed soon. 
• Letitia Carson Elementary new permanent classroom construction is starting this month. The renovated library/administration areas will be completed soon.

Bond Oversight Update

The District’s Bond Leadership team, including Superintendent Ryan Noss, Facilities and Transportation Director Kim Patten, Finance and Operations Director Olivia Meyers Buch and representatives from Wenaha Group, the district’s bond management team, continue to keep bond promises in the forefront of all decision-making. Overall, the bond program is on track to deliver the improvements promised to the community on time and with available funds. As of November 2021, the bond program has invested $154.6 million into work in the Corvallis community.

The Bond Oversight Committee continues to meet regularly with the Bond Leadership Team. The District is committed to providing clear and transparent information about the finances and scope of the bond program and ensuring that all bond promises are accomplished with available funds. Thanks to premiums and interest on bond proceeds, grants and reimbursements, the total approved bond program has grown from the original $199.9 million to over $260 million. The committee met January 18, 2022 to review finances and current activities of the bond program. Meeting notes are available on the Bond Oversight Committee web page > view the meeting notes here. 

Questions about the Bond Program may be directed to the Facilities and Transportation Department at 541-757-5877.