Final Predesign Scheme Selected for Each School

On Tuesday, the architects presented the final Predesign versions of the two selected schemes for each school site to the Ed Spec Committee. The schemes had been further refined based on input from the committee and site requirements.

The Ed Spec Committee unanimously chose the "Elemental Flow" scheme for Riverview and the"Nature Path" scheme for Machias. Click on the images below for a PDF of the revised scheme for each option:

Riverview Elementary School Selected Scheme: "Elemental Flow":

Machias Elementary School Selected Scheme: "Nature Path":

On Wednesday 11/5/08, the architects and Ed Spec Committee presented these selected schemes to the School Board and explained the committee's process.

October 22nd Meeting Notes

Meeting notes from the Ed Spec Committee Meeting on October 22nd are available here. At this meeting, 3 revised schemes were presented for each school. The committee deliberated and chose the 2 schemes for each school (shown below) for further refinement. At the next meeting, these selected schemes will be re-presented for a final scheme decision.

Site Layout Options

The Ed Spec Committee has reviewed various layout options for each site as presented by NAC Architecture. After receiving input from the committee, the architects revised the schemes and re-presented them for further comment. The committee has identified the two preferred options for each school: the "Schoolstead" and "Nature Connection" schemes for Machias and the "3 Parks" and "Elemental Flow" schemes for Riverview.

The architects are currently refining these 4 schemes, based on additional input from the committee at their last meeting. The final stage of the Predesign phase will be the selection of one scheme for each site and presentation to the School Board on November 5th. Then during the Schematic Design Phase, the selected scheme for each site will receive further input and refinement.

Click on the images below for a PDF of each option, including relevant points for each option and diagrammatic plans for the 1st and 2nd floors:

Machias Elementary School Option: "Schoolstead"

Machias Elementary School Option: "Nature Connection"

Riverview Elementary School Option: "3 Parks"

Riverview Elementary School Option: "Elemental Flow"

Please feel free to post comments regarding any of these options.

Riverview Community Meeting

Last night a Community Meeting was held at the Riverview Elementary School Library to gather public input on the project. About 30 people attended, representing a vibrant mix of neighbors, parents, teachers, staff and project team members.

You can read notes from the meeting here.

Project Schedule

The Ed Spec Committee has agreed to target an accelerated schedule, which will enable the new schools be complete and moved into the new buildings in January 2011 (instead of August 2011). The accelerated schedule also benefits the Valley View Middle School project, by allowing the middle school to occupy the interim site earlier, which will save on projected construction cost escalation. Students and staff from both Machias and Riverview are scheduled to occupy the interim site for a year and a half, from the end of school in June 2009 until school resumes at the end of Winter Break in January 2011.

The targeted schedule is shown below. If the committee feels that the quality of the final school projects may be compromised due to the acceleration, the schedule will revert to the longer duration. It is understood that factors outside of the project team's control (permitting times, weather, etc.) may also impact the schedule, pushing the move-in date back to Summer 2011.

Here is the draft schedule in graphic format (click to enlarge):

Drainage Field Locations

One of the items that will require planning as we move forward is the drainage field at each site. We will study reusing the existing drain fields or relocating them to accommodate the best location for the building at each school.

A surveyor will determine the actual existing locations, but below are aerial photos showing their approximate locations.

School Tour Notes

Konnie Surmann, Program Manger from Heery Int'l, wrote up notes of the Ed Spec Committee's reactions to the various schools on the 8/20/08 Schools Tour, available here.

Tour of Recent Schools by Educational Specs Committee

Yesterday the Educational Specifications Committee (consisting of staff, teachers and parents from Machias & Riverview Elementary Schools) toured four elementary school projects in the area, along with representatives of NAC Architecture and Heery Int'l.:

- Ben Franklin Elementary School, Kirkland

- Lakeview Elementary School, Kirkland

- Woodridge Elementary School, Bellevue

- Rosa Parks Elementary School, Redmond

These tours allowed committee members to see additional schools, further increasing the variety of projects they have to consider and discuss in planning the new projects. The committee has previously toured Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue, Forest View Elementary School in Everett and Little Cedars Elementary School in Snohomish.

Visiting the schools, including the discussions that occurred on the yellow school bus between school tours, was a productive way to advance the dialogue between the committee and the project team about the goals and possibilities outlined in the draft Ed Spec.

8/20/08 School Tour Information and Reference Reading Material (42 mb PDF file)

Minutes - Educational Specifications Review Meeting

Meeting Minutes: Educational Specifications Review Meeting, 8/7/08

Welcome!

Welcome to the project blog for the Machias Elementary School Replacement and Riverview Elementary School Replacement project in the Snohomish School District. This page is intended to be a forum for the project team to communicate with the public, and vice versa. In an effort to maintain a transparent and open process, we will post information as it becomes available. Please note that this is a work in progress, so posted information is subject to change.

Firstly, we would like to extend thanks to Snohomish voters, whose support of the bond measure has made these projects possible. Information about the bond is available here.

We are currently in the Pre-Design Phase of the project development process. The planning work of the Citizens Advisory Committee (report available here) has established recommended total project budgets of $39M for each school. The report lists the committee members and outlines the bond planning process, including substantial public input.

The Snohomish School District has interviewed consultants for the project and has selected NAC Architecture as the Architect and Heery International as Project Manager for these two projects. Both schools will be planned together and will have the same program elements and facilities, but they will not look the same and will be specific to their site and surroundings.

Thank you for your interest in Machias and Riverview Elementary Schools. As planners of public schools, we look forward to gathering and using the public input that will help make each of these schools a special place in its community.