Planning Rationale
It is imperative to keep an open line of communication with the school administration and engineering staff from the initial scoping and design phases through the completion of construction. Site visits, testing and assessments shall all be coordinated with the CPS Facilities and School Administration. All site visits shall include prior approval by the school(s) principal(s) and building engineer in order to ensure that visitors and their activities shall not disrupt classroom activities or testing. Standardized tests occur throughout the year, and during these times, visits by members of the Design team or construction activities are not permitted.
Typical key points to coordinate with the school prior to the start of construction:
- Co-located Schools: Many CPS buildings are large enough to house two or more separate schools. This condition must be identified during the time of scoping. Considerations for logistics of both schools must be accounted for throughout the design and construction process.
- Moving/Packing Furniture: In order to properly execute each project’s intent, the contents of the classrooms and other space might need to be temporarily relocated. Oftentimes this scope is overlooked, during the design phase. However, the removal and packing of the materials, equipment and furniture have proven to be a costly change order that can be avoided. Several CPS Departments should also be notified when entire spaces will require relocation, such as, the Department of Libraries and Instructional Technology, Office of Information and Technology Services, and the Office of School Safety and Security.
- Coordination Operation Plan: Prior to the Out to Bid (OTB) Phase, the CPS Project Manager will interview the Principal to determine the construction schedule and appropriate construction staging for the project. More information may be obtained in the developed Specification Section 01 14 11 Construction Operations and Site Utilization Plan for the project.
- Summer School: Typically, summer school must be avoided for the duration of summer construction. The Project Manager shall interview the Principal to determine if the summer school is scheduled. Due to safety concerns, many projects prohibit employees and students on the premises during certain phases of the project. In some cases, the presence of employees and students are prohibited for the duration of the project. The CPS Project Manager is responsible for coordinating the project and the school’s summer schedule.
- Before and After School Programs and Activities: Preliminary testing or investigatory assessments may be required to prepare for construction or to further realize a certain condition. Coordination must be made with the school well in advance in order to avoid conflicts with students and community traffic.
- CPS Background Check: Anyone working on a CPS facility must have undergone the Background Check Protocol.
- Construction Phase: Construction noise, dust and other debris tends to be disruptive to the educational environment; therefore, careful planning and phasing of the critical capital needs of a school is required in order to mitigate the potential adverse impacts to the school’s occupants.