The Future is Now: Alexandria High School Opens
With its sunny, soaring commons, high-tech learning labs, flexible-format classrooms and collegiate-style gathering and collaboration spaces, the new Alexandria High School is open, indeed.
The new 283,000-square-foot facility for grades 9-12 opened its doors Sept. 2, 2014, two years after construction began and more than 10 years after the district began a thoughtful planning process that engaged the imagination and support of the community.
The new building replaced the former Jefferson High School, which had served the district since 1957. After several additions over the years, Jefferson was no longer meeting student needs, said Trevor Peterson, director of business services for Alexandria Public Schools.
“Space was an issue, and a lot of other things, infrastructure, just like any other building creeping up on 60 years old,” Peterson said.
Jefferson’s long, narrow hallways were overcrowded during class changes. Stairs limited mobility. Classrooms were one size fits all. There was unused space but little gathering space. Aging boilers, ductwork and electrical systems challenged climate control and classroom technology. The existing structure was landlocked and offered little room for growing programs such as special education, music, athletics and performing arts.
A series of five “temporary” satellite classrooms were still being used 40 years after they were built. The former school also could not accommodate ninth-grade students.
Planning a New Alexandria High School
The district had been looking for solutions to these issues for some time.
In 2003, a district referendum proposed construction of a new high school and moving elementary students from their school, built in the 1930s, into the existing high school. The effort did not pass, in part because it did not include a long-term plan to replace the aging Jefferson school, Peterson said.
In 2006, the district returned with a phased plan for a new elementary school and the purchase of land for a new high school. That plan passed, and the elementary school opened in 2009.
In 2010, as the Great Recession continued, Alexandria Public Schools selected Kraus-Anderson through a request for proposals process to provide accurate cost analysis throughout the building referendum process. For more than a year, Kraus-Anderson worked closely with Cuningham Architects, school representatives and community user groups to develop a shared vision and a three-dimensional model for “The World’s Greatest High School.”
The team collaborated through conceptual design and plan development to establish a realistic budget of $70.5 million. Preconstruction estimating provided cost information needed to evaluate options during planning.
“We needed to get 10,000 voters to say yes, and we knew 2011 wasn’t an ideal time,” Peterson said. “We asked ourselves, how can we minimize the tax impact?”
The district created a capital campaign, sold the old high school and collected pledges of support for the new facility.
A civic-minded resident began the effort by purchasing the existing high school building for $2 million. That contribution helped prompt an additional $4 million in community pledges, reducing the referendum amount to $64.5 million.
“That became a game changer,” Peterson said.
The referendum passed overwhelmingly on Sept. 27, 2011, and construction began the following spring with strong participation from Alexandria-area contractors.
“We took care to package our bids to maximize the opportunity for local participation,” said Chad Rettke, Kraus-Anderson senior project manager.
Bid packages were also scheduled to allow earthwork, footings and steel work to progress while other portions of the building were still in design. This approach helped advance construction on schedule.
For districts considering a similar planning process, explore referendum support services and the ABCs of pre-referendum support.
Community Support Shapes the New Facility
Throughout construction, the community sustained its support through donations and material contributions. Some subcontractors loaned equipment. Community members provided enhancements such as acoustically superior rosewood flooring and a grand piano for the school’s new music room. An activities group generated funding for a turf field.
During construction, a second bond was issued to offset some delayed pledges. An additional $1.5 million in capital campaign funds was raised during 2013, allowing the district to fund more project items.
A prominently displayed community wall in the school’s commons area recognizes this grassroots support.
Strong community support, additional funding and interest earnings allowed the budget to increase from $70.5 million to $73.5 million. The building grew from 280,000 to 283,000 square feet, with much of the added area used for additional bleachers in the auxiliary gymnasium for tournament seating.
Flexible Learning Spaces for Future Needs
Located on a 167-acre site, the new high school accommodates 1,400 students. The building includes two three-story academic wings with 36 classrooms, 12 learning spaces for small and large groups, science labs, a technology and engineering lab, art rooms, a media center and special education classrooms.
Resources support both vocational and college preparation. Hands-on industrial and culinary lab spaces are located near the commons area, putting student learning on display rather than separating industrial arts from the rest of the school.
The entire building was designed as a flexible learning environment.
“Not knowing what education is going to look like five years from now or 15 years from now, we needed to make the building adaptable,” Peterson said. “Flexible learning spaces, collaborative learning spaces and a three-story commons area all provide the opportunity to change as education paradigms shift on us.”
The school’s open environment and streamlined elements mirror popular corporate-office design trends. DIRTT walls, modular wall panels, can be removed and replaced with whiteboards, tack boards, glass or opaque glass as needs change. Classrooms have tables and chairs on wheels instead of fixed desks, and room layouts can be rearranged in 60 seconds, Peterson said.
“Instead of one size fits all, now function drives the form,” he said.
The adaptable classrooms and collaboration areas reflect a broader focus on learning environments that can respond to changing instructional needs, a topic explored by the Association for Learning Environments.
Athletics, Performing Arts and Community Use
Enrichment amenities include new athletic fields and a stadium, an activities wing with a five-court gymnasium, a 1,000-seat auditorium, dedicated wrestling room, fitness lab and performing arts wing with dedicated music spaces, kitchen and cafeteria.
The facility also hosts activities and events for the public and community organizations, expanding its value beyond the school day.
Learn more about Kraus-Anderson’s K-12 construction experience and the Westonka High School Performing Arts and Activity Center addition.
A LEED Silver School Designed for Efficiency
Built to LEED Silver standards, the school includes energy-efficiency measures such as abundant daylighting, a reflective roof and a central HVAC control system that allows climate control from a single computer station.
These systems support the school’s operational needs while creating a learning environment designed for comfort, adaptability and long-term use. Learn more about sustainability services and sustainable school design.
“Everything associated with this facility, and the community-driven approach that was taken, has exceeded everyone’s expectations,” Peterson said. “The doors are finally open, and we can all look back and know we did this correctly. The community will benefit from this for many years to come.”
In this article, Kraus-Anderson explored the planning, referendum support, community fundraising, preconstruction cost analysis, flexible learning spaces, athletics and performing arts amenities, and LEED Silver design features behind the new Alexandria High School. Learn more about K-12 construction, referendum support and preconstruction services.
CATEGORY: Construction