2024 Summer Construction Update

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Across BVSD, crews are getting ready to start construction on renovation projects as soon as students and teachers leave for summer break later this month. This summer will be the first major construction season of the current Building for Student Success bond-funded construction program approved by voters in November 2022. The BVSD Bond team has approximately $42M of construction work planned from April through September, with another $28M in design work occurring simultaneously. 

Projects at Centaurus and Justice high schools got a head start with crews mobilizing over Spring Break. The field improvements at Justice will be completed and playable by mid-July, with other repairs and improvements completed before the end of the school year. At Centaurus, construction crews have gotten a good start on installing utilities and constructing the foundation for a classroom addition to expand the Engineering wing. Specific features will include a larger maker space for prototyping and an outdoor learning space. In addition, some classrooms will be rearranged to move ILC rooms next to the Engineering wing, and incorporate an office for Art to make it easier to collaborate between the programs. This work is part of the Accelerate (formerly called Career and Technical Education) expansion included in the Bond program. 

At Angevine Middle School the Accelerate renovations will upgrade existing spaces. The Life Studies room will be updated with new furniture and appliances. Two other  adjoining classrooms will be upgraded with lighting, furniture, and equipment to create a space for STEAM (STEM + Art) learning that will introduce students to engineering design and analytical thinking. Students whose interest is sparked can continue their journey of discovery at Centaurus and transition into the expanded Engineering pathway. 

In Broomfield, Accelerate improvements will aim to support opportunities for students to explore and gain experience in Infrastructure and Applied Technology career/education pathways. At Broomfield Heights Middle School, the Design Technology lab will be updated with new furniture, equipment, paint, and lighting and will give students broader opportunities to learn the introductory concepts involved in these pathways. In addition, the Art space next door will also be updated, and the adjacency is expected to boost collaboration between these programs.

This summer’s Accelerate work at Broomfield High School will reconfigure the trades classroom and tech lab to make them more functional for future development of the Applied Technology program. In this program, students will learn to apply high-level math and design competencies to real-world applications. For example, students will be involved in every aspect of designing, planning, and constructing a house on-site at the school. 

Also part of the improvements for Accelerate, a teaching kitchen will be created at the Culinary Center (which was constructed in the 2014 Bond program) for students studying Culinary Arts at BVSD’s Technical Education Center, Boulder TEC. 

The teaching kitchen is just the beginning of a major renovation being planned for Boulder TEC which will transform it into a centralized career acceleration center for the district. Boulder TEC’s administration and advisory committees have been evaluating the current programming, which includes biomedical science, automotive and collision repair, construction technology, criminal justice, emergency medical services, physical therapy, sports medicine, video production, and more. While spaces for these existing programs will be enhanced, the architects are also working to design spaces for future programs, for example, creating larger areas with higher ceilings that could be used for aeronautics or drone simulation. Designers are also trying to bring more natural light into the building and create a feeling of a higher education campus. The updated facility will serve as a central hub for students who are ready to accelerate their academic careers by pursuing college credit, industry credentials, and internships. 

Design work for Phase 2 projects will continue into the fall, with construction planned for 2025 and 2026. Overall, through the Bond program, BVSD will invest over $43M in renovations to expand CTE opportunities across the district. 

Highlights of other work happening at high schools includes auditorium renovations and improvements to athletic facilities. Most schools will also be refreshed with new paint, carpet and flooring. Renovations at Boulder Prep High School will convert former office and warehouse space into usable student learning spaces. 

Much of the work happening at elementary schools this summer, including Alicia Sanchez, Columbine, Fireside, Lafayette Elementary, and University Hill, will repair, replace, or update materials and equipment. The projects at Alicia Sanchez and Lafayette Elementary will also include playground upgrades. Elements of the playground improvements at Lafayette Elementary are intended to improve accessibility for students with disabilities. Similar upgrades will be installed this summer at Eisenhower, Foothill, Kohl, Louisville, and Nederland elementary schools. These renovations are part of the District’s effort to improve access and expand play options for students with disabilities across the district. BVSD is investing over $7 million on 16 campuses for this work.

Read more about the universal accessibility playground project here.

Learn more about what is happening in the Building for Student Success program on our website.