Structural Improvement Projects

The work is required because of changes to the District's property insurance coverage.

At the end of the 2024–25 school year, Springfield Public Schools and other Oregon school districts insured through PACE were notified that changes to property insurance coverage were being developed. Those changes affect buildings more than 50 years old with certain types of engineered wood trusses.

Completing the required structural improvements allows SPS to meet the requirements necessary to maintain property insurance coverage for the affected structural components.

Yes, there are no immediate threats to the safety of any of the affected buildings, and the buildings are safe for students and staff.

This project is not being completed because the District has determined that the buildings are unsafe. The work is being completed to meet updated property insurance requirements for certain older buildings with engineered wood trusses and to ensure the structural safety of the buildings during extreme weather events like snow and ice.

The work primarily involves reinforcing engineered wood structural components, including laminated beams and trusses.

The specific work varies by building and structural component. Contractors are using several reinforcement methods based on engineering specifications developed for each location.

The project includes work at 10 SPS sites:

●      Centennial Elementary

●      Guy Lee Elementary

●      Mohawk Elementary

●      Page Elementary

●      Walterville Elementary

●      Two Rivers–Dos Rios Elementary

●      Briggs Middle School

●      Thurston Middle School

●      Brattain Campus/Gateways High School

●      Thurston High School

The location, scope and duration of work differ by school.

SPS originally sought to complete as much work as possible during the summer. However, several factors impacted the timeline.

The District first brought the structural repair contract to the Springfield Board of Education on June 8. The Board requested additional information, including greater specificity about financing options, before taking action. The project was ultimately approved at a special Board meeting on July 6.

The project also involves specialized structural work and required a competitive bidding process. Because of the nature of the work and procurement requirements, the District had to put the project out to bid twice.

Once the contract was approved, SPS and Essex General Construction began moving forward as quickly as possible. Given the size of the project and the amount of specialized work involved across multiple buildings, it was not possible to complete all construction before the beginning of the school year.

Construction schedules evolve rapidly.

The schedules provided by SPS represent the best information available at the time they are shared, but construction involves many variables. Conditions discovered during the work, availability of specialized labor or materials, the sequence of work and other factors can impact individual project timelines.

For that reason, families and staff should consider published construction dates to be current estimates rather than fixed dates.

Building administrators meet daily with on-site construction leads while work is underway. These conversations allow school leaders and construction teams to review upcoming work, identify potential impacts and make adjustments to school operations as conditions change.

District staff are also coordinating with Essex General Construction and school administrators throughout the project.

At some schools, yes. Construction may temporarily limit access to gyms, cafeterias, classrooms, libraries or other spaces. Schools may need to temporarily relocate or modify activities normally held in those areas.

The specific impacts will vary considerably from one school to another based on where construction is occurring and what alternative spaces are available.

The District's goal is to minimize disruption to instruction and the student experience while the necessary work is completed.

Schools with gym construction will develop temporary plans for physical education based on their facilities, schedules and available spaces.

PE classes may use alternative indoor or outdoor spaces, be relocated or be temporarily modified. Because each school has different facilities and construction timelines, there is not a single solution.

School administrators will provide information to students, families and staff when changes affect normal programming.

Gym closures and other space restrictions may affect athletics, practices, competitions, clubs and other after-school programming.

Depending on the activity and available facilities, programs may be relocated, rescheduled or temporarily modified. SPS will work to minimize disruptions, but some changes will be unavoidable while construction is underway.

Schools will communicate directly with affected students, families, teams and participants as those plans are finalized.

At schools where cafeteria or shared gym/cafeteria spaces are affected, administrators and Nutrition Services will develop alternative plans to continue serving students.

The specific arrangements will depend on the school, construction schedule and available spaces. Families will receive information from their school if normal meal routines will change.

SPS, school administrators and the contractor will coordinate construction activities to maintain appropriate separation between active construction areas and normal school operations.

Building administrators are working directly with on-site construction workers to address access, scheduling and other operational considerations as work progresses.

The current project is a response to changes in property insurance coverage requirements that were communicated to the District beginning at the end of the 2024–25 school year.

During the winter and spring of the 2025-26 school year, SPS worked with Miller Engineer Services to assess the buildings, develop repair specifications, and prepare the project for competitive bidding. The District then completed the procurement and Board approval processes necessary to move forward with construction.

Essex General Construction of Eugene is the general contractor for the project.

The District received competitive responses and evaluated contractors based on qualifications and pricing before recommending Essex to the School Board.

The total projected budget for work across the affected sites is approximately $3.7 million.

The Board-approved contract with Essex General Construction is approximately $3.43 million, with additional contingency funding included in the overall project budget to account for variables that may be encountered during construction.

Renovation and structural work in existing buildings can involve conditions that are difficult to fully identify before construction begins.

The project therefore includes contingency funding to address unforeseen conditions or other variables encountered during the work. Any additional contingency beyond the amount authorized by the School Board would require further Board authorization.

Communication will happen at both the District and school levels.

Building administrators will provide updates to staff while their schools are affected by construction. Schools will also communicate regularly with parents and guardians when construction impacts students, schedules, activities, meals, access or other school operations.

Because construction schedules can change quickly, school-level communication will be particularly important. Families should watch for messages from their school for the most current information about day-to-day impacts.

SPS will also provide broader updates when significant project or schedule changes affect school communities.

SPS will continue to provide project information through District and school communications. Because construction schedules evolve rapidly, the most recent communication from your student's school will generally provide the best information about immediate impacts at that building.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as this work moves forward. SPS will continue working to minimize disruptions while maintaining safe, welcoming and productive learning environments for students.