Groundbreaking
The official groundbreaking ceremony for the International Prep Academy project occurred on April 19, 2021.
About the project
The International Prep Academy (IPA) project is a $24.3 million rebuild and expansion that will bring much-needed upgrades to better serve students and staff, allowing us to:
- Modernize classrooms and common spaces
- Update infrastructure
- Address safety issues
What is the timeline?
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2020 - On March 9, 2020, the Unit 4 Board of Education voted 7 to 0 to approve a budget increase for the IPA project. With the increase, the project total is now $24.33 million. The project budget will be used to build a new facility to house IPA's K-5 students. The existing facility would remain and will be used to phase in 6-8 students one year at a time on a trial basis. If the K-8 organization for IPA is well received and being used to capacity, the existing IPA facility could be replaced with a new facility designed specifically for 6-8 students. The cost of a new 6-8 facility is not included in the current project total.
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Spring 2020 - A virtual project update was held in May to unveil initial design plans to the public and solicit community feedback.
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Summer 2020 - West side parking lot extended and a second portable added to allow for added sixth grade enrollment.
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Fall 2020 - A virtual project update was held in October 2020 to provide updated design plans to the public and solicit community feedback. The project is in its last stage of design. The Construction Documents design and estimate will be presented to the Board of Education for approval in December 2020. Once approved, the project will move into bid and award for the start of construction in Spring 2021 and substantial completion in August 2022.
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Spring/Summer 2021 - A public groundbreaking was held in April to celebrate the start of construction. Work began on clearing the site and preparing for building foundations. The team found a storm line conflict with foundations and is working through that impact. Through the spring and summer, site utilities will be extended, building foundations placed, and the building structure will become visible. Hazardous material abatement in the existing building, west end, will occur to prepare for demolition in summer 2022.
What will the changes look like?
The images below show the construction documents phase in Oct. 2020. Community feedback about the design was solicited during that time.
Project Update