Full Transcript for Building for the Future: Inside WCASD’s School Construction & Capital Improvements

the building as a whole, as we consider um, you know, what the infrastructure looks like, how instruction is delivered, right? 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:25.520 Uh all of these pieces really play a heavy hand into how we make our decisions on, you know, what needs to happen as a from a capital improvement standpoint. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:33.360 And I think that that's something as far as like, first of all, this summer, there were so many construction projects happening across our districts. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:38.159 I don't even know how you were able to get it all scheduled within the summer. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:45.599 But I think when we think about the difference between thinking beyond buildings and thinking about the people, what's a takeaway? 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:53.439 What's something that you want to ensure that our community knows that is lasting, that's impactful about the people that live in these spaces? 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:54.080 Sure. 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:59.520 So, I mean, our intention through all of this work is to make sure that we're providing the safest spaces we can, right? 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:01.919 Um, we want them to be welcoming for our students. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:08.719 We want them to be welcoming to our community, to our staff, you know, making sure that that we're providing these safe, clean spaces, right? 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:19.680 Uh, welcoming spaces where you know folks can come and feel that they're in a good space to be able to learn in, to feel that they're in a good space that they can teach in, feel that they're in a good space that they can do their work in. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:22.240 And frankly, that it's a center of the community, right? 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.400 You know, schools really serve as the center of a community. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:25.039 Absolutely. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:25.360 Right? 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:26.800 They're they're used all the time. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:27.680 Right. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.080 So I love that. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:42.560 The thing that that struck me about this school in particular and about a number of our buildings, just how light they are and bright and how you feel, like you said, that welcoming piece, how you feel when you come into a school. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:43.680 That's that's important. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:49.759 So I'm gonna turn to you, Jackie, because that that feeling connects to our experience, the student experience in particular. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:54.159 Um, tell us, you you live through renovation and it's still happening here. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:02.159 What are some things that you found that families and those that are part of the school community notice being a part of the change? 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:07.360 Because we know that Wayne talked about safety and and and feeling welcome. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:12.240 Families want to ensure that their kids are coming to school where they're going to have all of those feels. 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:14.800 So, what's important for from your perspective? 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:16.240 What are these improvements? 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:17.519 What have they represented? 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.120 What do they look like here at Mary City? 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:19.519 Sure. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.560 It's been a wonderful three years of the renovation process. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:31.040 And I think families and community members will notice our spaces do feel more welcoming, more functional, really reflective of how we want students to experience school. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.879 Um, at the house, we've been through, you know, a significant renovation. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.759 Probably our top item here is air conditioning. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.000 So thank you to our facilities department. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:47.600 Uh rumors are spreading through the community that, you know, despite no more early dismissals due to heat, students are being encouraged to bring a sweatshirt. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:49.040 So love that rumor. 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:59.360 Um, but really, you know, when we see students walking into these refreshed spaces and the reaction, especially at sneak a peek with the wide eyes and the wows, um, that's what matters. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.040 The sense of pride that comes with knowing this is our school. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:07.120 And I think pride directly connects to how students show up to our schools. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:13.360 Um, so when students feel comfortable and they feel safe and feel like their school belongs to them, yeah. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:18.720 That's what matters and the support that supports the well-being of students and our staff members that show up here every day. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.040 Love that the wide eyes and the wells. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:22.319 It was magical. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:24.560 It just well, I think that that's the thing. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:41.120 Like we forget about how much of our experience, how much of our lives are happening in these buildings, and to make sure that there are spaces that invoke positivity, that that invoke community and belonging, that's important. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:46.800 So, Damien, you're you're very much behind the scenes in all of these projects for sure. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:51.920 Your role is how do we balance the vision and the stewardship and make it all happen? 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:56.560 I don't even, I can't even imagine how many people you have to interface with on a day. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:10.959 But tell us, how do you approach balancing a long-term vision with responsible stewardship of resources to ensure that we're delivering on time and we're delivering in the way that our students and our taxpayers expect. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:16.240 How do you do your job every day? 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:17.279 How about

that? 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:19.839 Uh it's a it's it is a lot. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:20.079 Yeah. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:24.399 And we do have to balance the resources we have versus the needs of the district. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:31.360 Uh but we try to accomplish safe spaces, bright spaces, open spaces, welcoming spaces. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:32.240 Yeah. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:38.720 And I wonder how do you, from your seat, make it all work for all the players that are involved? 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:49.439 Because I mean, for Wayne as the director, for Jackie as the principal, for you, you're really connecting, I would imagine, with contractors and timelines and codes and all the things. 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:51.120 It is a balancing act, right? 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:54.240 Everything uh has to be given equ equal weight. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:58.959 But the schedule is probably the most important part when we're doing a project like this. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.600 What needs to be done, when does it need to be done by? 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:04.240 And just encouraging and pushing people where they have to. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:04.639 Yeah. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:09.680 Looking forward to what needs to be done at a certain particular time and make sure the materials are there. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:22.399 The thing that I've learned about, well, I would say we and your whole team, but definitely seeing you operate in this in this way, Damon, is you're very much on-site, very hands-on, very present in that work. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:31.120 So how do you balance um making sure that you are in different spaces, particularly when multiple projects are happening at once? 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.759 It's it's it is a balancing act. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:36.480 But you get a sense of where do I need to be today? 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:43.839 And sometimes I'll be driving and going to a school, and then I'm like, I think I need to stop in over wherever and check in. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:52.319 And usually when I get there, oh, so glad to see you because we have this issue or this item that came up, or hey, we just got a delivery we weren't expecting. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:53.120 What do we do with it? 00:07:53.759 --> 00:08:00.560 So you get a little feel and intuition for where you should be and what you need to be doing at the certain times of the school year, school day. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:11.360 I I think I want to go back to something you said, Jackie, because you talked about the wide-eye and wows, and we know that not all parts of renovation are just, yay, this is wonderful. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:34.559 So I I would say as you're nearing the end of your project here at Mary C, what has been the learning lesson for you, particularly when things maybe don't go as planned, or a uh something gets interrupted, or it's not there's a hard, there's a hard motion or a feeling around like things are changing, what my space look like, or where I'm gonna be. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:36.799 How have you navigated that as a school principal? 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:45.679 A lot of patience and understanding and um communication with Damon and Wayne and our community members, staff, and students. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:09:23.919 And one thing I've really appreciated with uh both Damon and Wayne is that while they are the liaison with the contractors, the electricians, all of the pieces that go into making this school so beautiful and updated, is that they still have students at the forefront of their decision making, um, you know, shrinking down to what does it feel like for a five-year-old to walk into their new classroom, um, or for our fifth graders when we are moving between classrooms and making sure that all of the pieces match in in different classrooms and for staff as well, these functional spaces that they are able to collaborate and and meet. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:34.960 I think that experience definitely requires a lot of patience, but also our communication with them and just some understanding that some things might not be on timeline, but it will eventually get done. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:45.200 And they've been fantastic in reassuring me when things were a little haywire in the summer with no ceiling tiles and are we going to be ready for sneak a peek? 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.120 Um, but it always, and they've reassured me, they've been through this process multiple times. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:54.879 And I now get to say that to my colleagues at Hillsdale and Stark Weather and probably Pierce next. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:01.120 So some of the Mary Seahouse students will be ready to go with renovations at that building, that it's it's all going to work out. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:01.279 Yeah. 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:07.120 And um, you know, we're investing, like Wayne said, in our students and in our future for our students at each community. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:08.000 Well said. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:09.519 I think that's powerful too, right? 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:12.159 When you think about it, this is really a team effort, right? 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:14.879 Um, and it's not a team effort just on the facilities part. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.879 It's not just a team effort, you know, on the principal's part or administration's part, right? 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:26.240 We're we're all in this together from the time you know we conceptually come up with a plan for the work to the time that the work is complete, right? 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:29.279 The impact is on everybody within the community, right? 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:36.399 It's within the the people who live in this building every day, but also, you know, the parents and the other folks that that live in the community, right? 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:38.799 Dealing with traffic and everything else that plays into it. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:45.360 I mean, the the truth of it is that it

requires some grace and some understanding and and a lot of teamwork, right? 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:49.120 So teachers may have to move multiple times through the process, right? 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.200 I'm sure that can be frustrating, right? 00:10:51.279 --> 00:11:01.440 But understanding that, you know, the end is you know, we start a process and three years later, you know, well, for for most folks, they only see it in like a 27-month area, right? 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:03.759 But it's it's a little longer than that in its entirety. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:11.120 But, you know, having that opportunity to to be part of that and understand that that the goal is for the kids in the end, right? 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:29.360 And and knowing that, you know, this momentary pain of of having to make these changes and you know, maybe things didn't turn out quite the way we wanted them to, or the timeline didn't fall the way we wanted them to, but recognizing that in the end, right, we're gonna have a really cool space and we'll have we'll be able to meet our district mission. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:30.000 Oh yeah. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:30.240 Right. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:30.559 Yeah. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:36.480 I think it's been also exciting to see, you know, there's a lot of pride in Westchester in particular. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:40.240 As a K-12 graduate, I love being a part of this community. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:59.519 But even in the short amount of time since we have opened this school year, former students and families that have gone through this district, when they come in or want to stop by and see the building, uh, see the grounds, it's just really exciting, you know, for them to come experience the updated spaces that has been really special to see as well. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.440 Yeah, I I think that's so great that you added that for both of you. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:10.080 Just the things that I'm hearing is just the pride, the communication, the teamwork, the patience. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:13.200 And I would also say like the belief and the hope. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:14.799 Like this is this is the why. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:16.240 It's all gonna come together. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:19.600 I think you said it maybe not exactly in these words, but like trust the process. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:24.159 You know, we everybody's gonna pull together and do their job, and it's gonna be good in the end. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:28.159 So let's talk about you kind of you kind of mentioned this a little bit. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.320 There are you're you're living through this. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:34.799 There are schools that are in different phases of the timeline for capital improvements overall. 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:37.440 So, what does this mean for the future of our district? 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:39.679 There are a lot of moving parts. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:55.519 Um, as we look ahead, tell tell us what what excite you about future, what what that means for the impact, for our learners, for what the the look of our our buildings look like moving forward and that sense of pride in our in our community. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:13:02.320 Wayne, one of the things I heard you say is that the work that we're doing definitely connects to our district mission. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.559 So, what excites you about that? 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:12.559 Uh I mean, for me personally, having the opportunity to look at how I mean every student uh approaches school differently, right? 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:16.879 So some students are are strong academics, some are great athletes, right? 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:18.960 Some are none of those things, right? 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:22.399 But the intent is to is to find a way to make connections, right? 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:27.039 And you know, we're we're in a very nice library space right here, as we said. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:36.879 And and maybe just the the little reading book that's in the corner of this library gives a student the opportunity to you know have a few moments to do what they enjoy, right? 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:47.600 And and understanding that as we continue to build out this process and do this work, that you know, we we touch different students in different ways and we're providing them with what they need to be successful. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.440 Uh and and to me that's pretty powerful. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:59.919 So whether we're talking about you know, the renovations of an elementary school or or adding a synthetic to her field out of high school or uh the reimagining of what our middle school plans are gonna be. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:04.320 I mean, to me, there's a there's a a big piece of this, and it just all drills back down on kids. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:04.720 Right. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:05.679 I love that. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:07.200 How about for you, Damon? 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.919 What uh what does this mean? 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:24.879 Well, I think about it like your handiwork, your planning, your you have these, these, these fingerprints all across the many projects that are happening across our district. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.240 What what excites you about that looking ahead to the future? 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:31.840 Looking ahead, I I'm really excited for the middle school renovations. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.960 Uh the elementary schools were finishing up now. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:36.159 It's great. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:37.279 They look awesome. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.200 I cannot wait to do the middle school. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:44.879 I cannot wait to do the first middle school, the reimagining, the re the re uh renovations of Pierce. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:45.279 Yeah. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:47.039 Really, I'm really looking forward to that. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.159 Oh, that's awesome. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:50.399 And

that's like your that's you excited. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.720 So that is me excited. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:01.360 And you know, the the students here, some of the older students will be going through Pierce when it's renovated. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.440 And then hopefully those students will also go through Anderson while that's being renovated too. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:11.759 So, you know, they'll they'll get to experience the before and afters and really get to uh hopefully appreciate the renovations. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.679 Yeah, the impact of change for sure. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.440 How about you for you, Jackie? 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:17.440 What are you looking forward to in the future? 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:18.559 We know air conditioning. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.080 That's a big deal. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:21.679 The best part of this. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:26.000 Um, but just you know, as the common thread here is the students. 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:34.720 We show up every day for the students, and I think, you know, even our youngest learners can get a sense of, you know, our our district is doing this for us. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.799 Like we belong here, we deserve this space, this updated space. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:58.559 Um, you know, and as we prepare our students for whichever direction they go in the future, you know, it starts here at the elementary school and just providing these spaces that might not look traditional from when we went to school, um, but really to help accommodate all the different needs of all of our students and staff here is really exciting for all the different projects. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:15:59.279 Oh, yeah. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:05.360 And I I have to we we make sure there's a point of connection with our Portugal graduate competencies. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:22.559 Like all the things that are put on display and are tested and how we live each and every day when you're part of a renovation, when you're part of a change, the adaptability and the problem solving and the communication and the and the empathy and the responsibility for everybody to do their part. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:28.399 I think that that's definitely a highlight for not only the mission of our district, but what our our North Star is as well. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:35.200 So it was really neat for me to experience flexing my portrait of a graduate competencies the first day of school. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:39.679 Uh, Damon got a panic text from me about our PA system not working. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:46.480 So thinking about dismissing 520 students was okay, let's problem solve. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:50.000 I need to adapt and dismiss these students safely. 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:52.399 Um, I need to communicate with my staff. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:56.879 We so we I problem solved and it it was great. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.519 We didn't have a missed bus on the first day of school, which is a big win. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:00.399 Look at that. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:19.599 Um, but then to be able to, when I met with students during our town hall meetings in the beginning of the year and reviewing our competencies, to be able to say, hey, look, Principal Pavlo was did all these things that relate right back to what we're expecting our K to 12 students, you know, to experience on a daily basis and practice those skills. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:21.039 And also to the staff. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:21.920 So good. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.359 It's not just the students with these portrait of a graduate competencies. 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:28.000 We live these every day as Westchester community members. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:28.480 Yes. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:37.119 Well, I have to say thank you so much to each and and every one of you because the seat that you sit in is impactful. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:38.720 Everyone's job is important. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:45.359 And I think um we talked about our contractors, we talked about our students, we talked about our our families and our community. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.480 It takes everybody. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.079 So thank you for your time today. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.200 I wanted to thank you. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.880 I do have a little something for you. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:54.480 Um, since we are an air conditioning building now, you might get a little chilly. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:55.680 So I wanted to present you, Dr. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:02.319 Reynolds, with the Mary Seed House winter hat uh for when you come to visit, and it's a little chilly in our building. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:05.119 So thanks for this. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.880 Well, until the next time. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:09.039 Keep on watching and listening. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:13.039 Thanks so much for joining me on Talking the WCASD Way. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.359 New episodes drop every other Wednesday. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:18.400 Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a conversation. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.920 Until next time. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:25.440 Because our district is full of stories.