The shovel is one step closer to the dirt at Eisenhower Middle High School.
The Warren County School District is now accepting bids for the renovation and expansion of the facility as the district seeks to turn the complex into a K-12 facility.
Superintendent Brandon Hufnagel informed the board on Monday that "that project is getting well underway."
The call for bids was able to go out because the school board passed PlanCon parts D and E at Monday night's meeting.
PlanCon, short for Planning and Construction Workbook, is a series of "forms and procedures used to apply for Commonwealth reimbursement," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. "The PlanCon forms are designed to document a local school district's planning process; provide a justification for a project to the public; ascertain compliance with state laws and regulations; and establish the level of state participation in the cost of the project."
Part D of the PlanCon process "is concerned with estimated project costs," according to PDE. "In this part, various "tests" of a district's financial ability to make payments are performed." Part E, which addresses the design, "is a conference to review the architectural aspects of a project when the design is fully developed."
Bid proposals are due on December 19 for both the addition and the renovation, according to the text of the legal notice.
For the new construction, the expansion will encompass approximately 32,000 square feet.
The renovation will include improvements to approximately 121,000 square feet including the "gymnasium, cafeteria, kitchen, administration office and classroom spaces," according to the bid notice.
The elementary addition at Sheffield to convert that facility into a K-12 entity hasn't gone out for bid yet. The district "need(s) to get to PlanCon E before bids at Sheffield." Part D was approved by the board on Monday.