Measure O Update July 2011 Thank You Westminster School District Community click on any image for a larger view We appreciate the community’s support of Measure O, the $130 million dollar bond measure for school facilities improvement passed by the voters in November 2008. We have worked carefully to provide the necessary planning to maximize the use of Measure O bond funds. Our community placed their trust in us, and we take that trust seriously. All Measure O spending is reviewed by the Citizen’s Oversight Committee (COC). The COC is a seven member committee made up of community members who are independent of the district. Their job is to monitor all Measure O projects and expenditures, to provide proper oversight and accountability to ensure that Measure O funds are used as they were intended and to report to members of the community on the progress of Measure O projects. Significant planning by a district stakeholders’ priority planning committee and a community focus group consisting of community, civic and business leaders has culminated into a District Master Plan and Measure O Priority Plan. Summer 2011 Temporary Housing: All three middle schools (Johnson, Stacey and Warner) will need to have students in alternative classrooms during construction from fall 2011 to winter 2013. This summer, Johnson and Stacey middle schools are having temporary classrooms installed to accommodate the new construction. Warner middle school will utilize existing portable classrooms during construction that will be removed once construction is completed. Parking Lot Expansion and Modernization: When Westminster School District completed its last modernization project about six years ago; there were not enough funds available to complete modernization of the Fryberger Elementary parking lot. This summer Fryberger received a newly designed, expanded and modernized parking lot that will greatly enhance safety and efficiency of pick-up and drop-off as well as provide additional parking space and meet new state rain water runoff requirements. Meairs Elementary had both parking lots on Trask Avenue and Newland Street reconfigured and modernized to enhance safety of pick-up and drop-off. The new configuration will also allow much more flexibility at pick-up and drop-off. Electronic Marquees: Over the summer electronic marquees were selected and will be installed during the fall. Every elementary school site will eventually receive a new electronic marquee for sharing information with their community. Fall 2011- Major Construction Begins As a result of the work of the Priority Planning Committee, in addition to the unified communication system that brought a completely new and integrated phone, clock, bell, security camera system to all school sites, and the work mentioned above, “middle school transformation” will begin this fall. This transformation will include: New Science and Exploration Classroom Building Two story science exploration building The new Science and Exploration Classroom Building will be a two story, state of the art, energy efficient building designed for flexible use. The top floor will have four large science classrooms that include an adjoining research area where various experiments can be conducted. The bottom floor will include three large classrooms. Each classroom will include a large, medium and small space where teachers will work with students on collaborative, exploration based learning. The three large classrooms will also include the ability to open between each room so students can move easily between classrooms. gymnasium Multi-Use Facility New Gymnasium and Multi-Use Facility In addition to a full sized gymnasium, this new facility will include a fitness classroom, dedicated music classroom, drama classroom and stage for performances and presentations. The new facility will have enough space to accommodate up to 1,500 people.

	PAGE 2 Measure O Update     Outdoor Learning Spaces Exploratation building green roof The concept, “everywhere a student goes on campus should be an opportunity to learn”, is exemplified in the new Outdoor Learning Spaces. In addition to new outdoor spaces where classrooms of students or individual students can go to work on projects, the spaces themselves will provide learning opportunities. For example, the pathways between buildings and the hardscape around buildings will include words and phrases stamped into the concrete relating to the primary focus of the particular learning space. There will be music scales and concepts relating to music and composition outside the music classroom. There will be science terms outside the new science classroom building. Long pathways will show the relationship between feet and meters. The roof of the annex science classroom will be a “green roof” that also includes collaboration space for learning and studying. All the outdoor space will also have wireless internet (Wi-Fi) access available to staff, students and guests on the school’s local, secure network. Teachers and students will have a wide variety of spaces for collaboration and learning. Resource Center Resource Center The existing multi-purpose room will be converted into a full service Resource Center. The new Resource Center will include a library, reading room, media center, computer workstations and office space for staff to work with individual or small groups of students. The Resource Centers will also include space for after school programs and materials. Sustainable Designs The new buildings and outdoor learning spaces will incorporate sustainable design and green building strategies, using standards and characteristics from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The goal is to create a learning environment that saves the district operating funds and provides an opportunity for students to learn about sustainable design and related careers. The district will also continue to evaluate solar panels as another way to save energy and operating funds. Watching it Happen Each middle school construction site will include a time lapse camera so the community and staff may view construction progress at each middle school from the district website. This will also provide opportunities for the elementary schools to show their students what is happening at the middle schools they will be attending. An added benefit is that the new construction may be an opportunity for students to learn about design, construction and other related jobs. The construction manager and architects will be providing time to meet with elementary classrooms to show students what they do and provide examples through the actual work being performed for the Westminster School District. The goal is to build enthusiasm and excitement among our elementary students for their upcoming middle school experience. See each middle school campus perspective Johnson Middle School Stacey Middle School Warner Middle School