Ragsdale Construction Delay Temporary
GCS will complete promised bond work at Ragsdale High
Contact: Laurie Hogan (336) 370-8307
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Guilford County Schools (GCS) assured parents and community members Tuesday that the district will complete the entire $24.9 million scope of work approved by voters in 2008 for Ragsdale High.
District officials said they are working with the architect, principal, building advisory team and others to adjust the design and bring the project back in line with the voter-approved budget. Work at the school originally was slated to begin this summer.
“We are committed to keeping the promises GCS made to voters in 2008 regarding Ragsdale High School,” said Andrew LaRowe, interim chief operations officer. “We are also committed to staying within the assigned budget.”
District officials hosted the meeting at Ragsdale to update parents and community members about the project. Approximately 85 attended, not including GCS staff members.
“This is a very complex project, with multiple phases and design challenges,” LaRowe said. The construction bids received by GCS were about $5.7 million higher than anticipated.
The voter-approved scope of work and budget for Ragsdale includes the partial demolition of a classroom wing and the construction of a new media center, main gym and administration area. The project includes code-related upgrades, such as fire sprinklers, for existing facilities as well as a track renovation, construction of new tennis courts and installation of a new boiler system.
The project scope also combines the existing Ragsdale and Jamestown Middle facilities into one facility for Ragsdale. The new Jamestown Middle facility is expected to be completed on time and under budget. In addition to renovation and construction at Ragsdale, the 2008 bond project included a 48-seat addition to serve students with autism. The Guilford County Board of Education has since voted to increase the number of students served by this wing from 48 to 100 while reducing the proposed number of wings from three sites to two. The location for the second site has not yet been finalized.
Once the existing design for Ragsdale has been reworked satisfactorily, the district will put the project back out to bid. LaRowe anticipates that this process will take 60 to 90 days. If the new bids are acceptable, the district will move forward with construction as quickly as possible. “There’s a feeling out there that we have to wait until next summer until we begin construction at Ragsdale and that’s simply not true,” said LaRowe. “We will start as soon as possible, while ensuring that students are safe and that we’re maintaining the integrity of the high school’s instructional program for all students.”
Once underway, district officials anticipate construction and renovation of Ragsdale will take about two years to complete. The new autism wing would be completed during the last phase of the project. Guilford County voters approved $457,315,199 in bonds for school-related construction and renovation projects in 2008.
To view the presentation, click on the link below.
http://www.gcsnc.com/pdfs/RagsdalePresentation.pdf
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About Guilford County Schools
Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina serving more than 71,000 students at 121 schools. With approximately 10,000 employees, the district’s mission is to graduate responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice.
Guilford County Schools is a national leader in providing specialized schools and instructional programs designed to meet the educational needs of a culturally diverse citizenship. For more information, visit the district’s website at www.gcsnc.com.
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