Spencer-Van Etten Central School District officials and representatives from Tetra Tech provided a capital project update during a Board of Education presentation on March 12, outlining the planning process, stakeholder involvement and next steps.
The presentation detailed the district’s ongoing work to move the approved capital project into the design phase. Planning has included an enhanced facility evaluation, multiple facilities committee meetings and coordination with local agencies. District administrators, staff and community members have also contributed input through surveys and meetings.
Stakeholder engagement has been a key component of the process, with feedback gathered from areas including athletics, fine and performing arts, transportation, food service, technology and building operations. The district has also incorporated input from students, staff and the community to help guide project priorities and long-term planning.
Tetra Tech outlined a projected timeline for the project, with schematic design beginning in March and continuing through April, followed by design development and construction document phases through summer 2026. The project is expected to move into bidding later in 2026, with construction anticipated to begin in March 2027 and continue through December 2028.
Throughout March, the district has scheduled a series of user group meetings to gather detailed input on building-specific needs. These sessions include discussions focused on classroom spaces, infrastructure, athletics, arts programming, transportation and student services across all school buildings.
The presentation also highlighted the use of advanced technology to support planning and design. This includes building scanning and modeling tools, as well as drone technology to conduct roof and site evaluations, traffic and pedestrian studies, and high-definition imaging to inform project development.
District officials noted that the work being completed now will help guide both the current capital project and future long-range planning efforts.