Trustees approve process to update Facilities Master Plan

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

Van Pelt Construction Services presented the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees with a proposal to provide a process to update and implement the school district’s Facilities Master Plan at the Feb. 16 meeting.

Van Pelt will work with the school district to identify additional state funding sources to add to local facilities funds and execute a current demographic study. Together they will prioritize facility projects to address community growth, the reconstruction of existing facilities and address short and long-term facility needs for Winters students.

Van Pelt representative Jennifer Gibb summarized for Trustees the process of updating and implementing the Facilities Master

Plan, which Gibb described as “inquiry and data-driven” with the goal of “producing high-quality facilities for high-quality education.”

Gibb noted a few of the data inputs that Van Pelt would determine in their planning process, which include demographics, sources of local, state, and federal funding, assessments of current facility conditions, and the development of cost estimates and project budgets for facility changes.

A key feature of this process will be the oversight and input of a Superintendent’s committee, with Gibb laying out some of the partners and stakeholders who will participate including students, classified and certificated staff, parent-teacher organizations and a number of other stakeholders.

In addition, Gibb said Van Pelt would hold a number of

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community input sessions to allow members of the Winters JUSD community to discuss areas of focus, and timelines for projects, as well as provide transparent education on funding availability.

Gibb laid out a proposed timeline, pending board approval, of a Facilities Master Plan slated to begin in March with site assessments and demographic data gathering. In mid-April, they would make time for community input meetings and by late April determine funding sources for projects. In May, the Superintendent’s committee would review Van Pelt’s plan and a draft review would be provided to the board, before being improved and eventually adopted by Trustees in June.

Following her presentation, Gibb invited board members to ask any questions.

Board Clerk Joedy

See PLAN, Page 5