About Facilities Management
Construction Process
Adding a room onto a home or constructing a commercial building is complicated and typically takes more time than expected. But, with the addition of State and Federal mandates and additional approvals required, building or refurbishing a school typically adds at least two years to the planning and design phases of any construction project. Why? School construction is one of the most heavily regulated and reviewed processes in the country.
To help local residents understand the construction process, we have developed the following timeline.
- Wong Elementary School under construction, February 2008
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Planning
- Needs Assessment - Demographic study to determine where to place new schools
- Site Selection - Identify potential sites, get input from the community, vote on acquisitions during Board meetings, obtain California Department of Education approval, acquire property.
- Attendance Boundaries - Determine the school's attendance boundaries, conduct community outreach meetings to notify parents, notify principals, teachers and staff.
- Funding Identification - Identify potential local, state and federal funding sources available for each project.
- Outreach - Meet with principals and local parent leaders to determine needs and best methods of communicating with local residents.
- Public Bid Process - Hire project manager, environmental expert, architect, and construction manager for each project. All contracts reviewed and accepted via public Board meetings.
- Environmental Impact Review (EIR) - Study the plans and assess potential impacts, hold public hearing, conduct a follow up study to address any questions or concerns raised by the public, receive public comment at a final public hearing, approve the Environmental Impact Report.
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Design
- Schematic Design - Create basic school design.
- Design Development - Create detailed designs with specifications for the school, such as the number of students, unique facilities, and specific needs of the student population.
- Construction - Create construction focused designs that provide exact information on how to build the facility. Plans must be approved by the Division of the State Architect.
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Construction
- Groundbreaking - Community event held to celebrate the beginning of construction on a new school.
- Construction - Site preparation, construction of buildings, installation of electrical, plumbing, and technology infrastructure.
- Equipment Acquisition and Installation - Purchase and install playground equipment, desks, computers, etc.
- Landscape - Plant grass, trees, bushes, flowers.
- Ribbon Cutting - Community event held to celebrate the completion of new school construction.