Category: K12

Demystifying Construction Progress Using Forensic Schedule Analysis

Posted on January 23, 2024

Odds are, if you have embarked on a construction project of any shape or size, you have heard the dreaded words, “There’s been a delay in the schedule.” Building in today’s climate has become almost synonymous with delays. Maybe your contractor insists that everything is on track, but you are observing consistent slippage in critical activities over time. The reality of construction in the K-12 industry is there is no time for hidden delays or surprises—the school calendar demands accuracy and completion with little room for schedule adjustments. If your instinct is telling you progress is behind, but you can’t quite prove it, HPM has the solution for you.

Half-Step Period Analysis

Half-Step Period Analysis can help reveal what is going on under the surface of a construction schedule. This method stores schedule updates and quantifies the impact, whether good or bad, of field progress on a schedule at large. Conveniently for the user, this approach collects the progress information from a new update to the schedule and applies only that piece of information to the prior schedule. The schedule is then recalculated and the impact on progress can be observed and analyzed. At this point, you will find answers to your most pressing questions: Did the end date move? Did the critical path change? How will our plans be impacted? Once this data is calculated, it can easily be mapped out in a visual format for further analysis.

What Next?

Now that we have proof that slippage has occurred, we can begin studying the updated critical path. Reviewing the schedule changes provides insight into how the lost time will be recovered. Studying these adjustments spelled out on paper enables you to see if the changes are reasonable. Armed with this information, you are then prepared to discuss a plan of action with the contractor that will allow the project to truly remain on track.

Is This a Recognized Method of Schedule Analysis?

A recent project utilized this method to encourage schedule transparency with a contractor. This case used modularized construction, an approach in which main portions of the facility were fabricated like building blocks. This method demands that stages of progress build upon one another in order to move on to the next phase. In this instance, production of these “blocks” slipped behind by four months with significant delays to production. In spite of an obvious delay, the contractor maintained the position that the project was on track to reach its original completion date.

By applying half-step period analysis, data came together to prove gaps in the unaffected schedule the contractor was promising. Identifying these issues early in the project allowed for impactful remediation plans to be implemented, as well as identifying staffing needs well in advance of their respective start dates. This knowledge on the front end proved critical in today’s market where manpower can be difficult to acquire.

The Power of Period Analysis

When implemented early on in construction, period analysis can detect impacts to schedule before they occur. This data provides actionable information and a path forward. Using this knowledge, project teams can implement recovery plans and avoid critical delays.

The Business Case for K-12 Boundary Realignment

Posted on January 18, 2024

Depending on building operational needs and the district’s enrollment trends, K-12 districts often need a boundary realignment. Boundary changes should occur in areas that have experienced a shift in population or a shift in demographics within the population. Older neighborhoods begin to have more “empty nesters”. Other areas of the district may have vacant land that has begun to be built out. Some new construction areas might have more affordable housing ripe for families, whereas other new housing might be more suited for an older, less family-intensive group of homeowners.

Facility Planning

Understanding the details of student enrollment and the data that impacts the enrollment is critical to Facility Planning. Facility Planning must look at the story the data tells us:

Conditions – has the campus lived its useful life, and is it now cost-prohibitive to keep it open?

Adequacy – is each campus able to reach teaching and learning goals within its current state?

Capacity & Utilization – is each campus maintaining a balance of class size and maximizing the use of the campus?

Programs – are there program changes affecting the functional capacity?

If a campus or campuses can’t effectively support the educational delivery model, then the district must review the demographics, feeder patterns and program profiles and boundaries.

Boundary Realignment Solutions

We have seen districts add classroom wings to campuses for short-term solutions. These short-term solutions, however, create long-term impacts such as overcrowding cafeterias and too many lunch periods, packed hallways, insufficient parking lots and dismissal challenges, and unavailable gym space, in addition to hardships on staff and the increase in the facility’s operational maintenance costs.

Understanding your district’s enrollment and trends is critical to the overall boundary re-alignment analysis. Tracking students as a group or “cohort” over time enables a district to measure changes in student enrollment by grade. These observed trends will typically align with the other data sets, such as live births and macro-level social demographic trends. One common trend is the seemingly counterintuitive declining enrollments, even as your city or county is growing in population. Knowing the enrollment projections supports the facility planning at all campuses in addition to teacher staffing and operational needs.

As programs and enrollments change, a closer review of feeder patterns should be completed. Transportation and operational costs may have increased due to population shifts. Conditions, adequacy, and utilizations also support the efforts to alleviate overcrowding and assist you with balanced enrollment. Accommodations for new programs and learning opportunities will continue to be updated. This establishes the balance between all data sets and may lead your district to a much-needed boundary realignment.

Manor ISD’s Rise Academy Raises the Bar for Texas K12 Facilities

Posted on December 11, 2023

Grand Opening

Manor ISD’s best-in-class K-8 facility, Rise Academy, opened its doors to students for its inaugural school year in August. Acclaimed program management firm, HPM provided quality control and preconstruction services and maintained schedule and budget compliance throughout construction.

About the Space

Manor ISD‘s $45 million Manor Rise Academy is a 116,000-square-foot school on a 40-acre campus on FM 973. State-of-the-art amenities and technology enhance the learning environment in every room. The school’s interior includes athletic facilities; a competition gym with seating for up to 500 people; a dedicated gymnasium for physical education classes; a large media center; two art rooms; three maker spaces; performing arts classrooms; and student collaboration areas. The campus will also house competition-level athletic fields, outdoor learning spaces and playgrounds.

“Education projects require strict scheduling oversight to ensure an on-track completion by the start of the school year, and I am proud of our team at HPM for its dedication to an on-time delivery for Manor ISD. We thank the school district for its invaluable support and collaboration during this project, and to our partners for ensuring success in the construction of these schools. As we move ahead on additional projects with the school district, we look forward to providing more quality program management services, expanding our footprint further into Manor.”
Ryan Austin, President, HPM

About Manor ISD

Manor ISD voters approved a $280 million bond package in November of 2019. The bond is focusing on projects to accommodate student growth. This includes addressing facility upgrades and improving transportation, security and technology within the district. It is one of the largest bond programs the district has initiated in its history. These increase capacity in the 9,500-student district, projected to grow by 2.5% to 5% annually for the next 10 years, according to district student enrollment projections.

Greater Austin is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and was recently projected to surpass San Antonio in population size by 2040, according to the Texas Water Development Board. The population of Manor, located just 12 miles northeast of Austin, has grown by more than 160% since 2010. Manor ISD anticipates an additional 2,800 students over the next four years. A project of this scale required experienced and dedicated program manager to oversee the bond program.

Additional project partners for Rise Academy include ADM Architecture; Raba Kistner as geotechnical engineer; Civilitude as civil engineer; and Lee Lewis as the general contractor.

K12 School District Leaders Attend HPM’s Executives Summit

Posted on November 16, 2023

HPM recently hosted the inaugural HPM Texas Education Executives Summit, a premiere event connecting executive leaders in K12 school districts to create unique strategies for navigating common challenges. The Summit, held November 1-3, 2023 at The JL Bar Ranch, provided the perfect backdrop for an elevated networking and educational experience. Leaders representing seven districts across the state were in attendance, along with national experts in finance, facilities planning, contract management/auditing and other fields impacting the K12 industry.

About the Event

Attendees gleaned valuable insight on approaches for successful bond planning and execution. Topics included strategies for maximizing bond dollars through comprehensive Planning, best practices for navigating bond elections, tips for developing and maintaining a master schedule. As a highlight, HPM President, Ryan Austin and Senior Vice President of Program Development, Greg Ellis led a discussion on capital program success, offering strategies for managing multiple contractors, efficient program controls strategies, managing delays such as materials availability, change orders and contract disputes. Most importantly, sessions were robust, reality based and designed to foster conversation.

The Summit concluded with a round table discussion of open-ended topics benefiting all attendees with a focus on methods for overcoming operational challenges. Outcomes of the discussion provided thought provoking ideas for participants to take back to their districts, as well as a framework for future Summit topics.

Why HPM?

HPM partners with K12 school districts to create and implement data-driven long range planning initiatives. This team of seasoned planning professionals is comprised of former educators turned facilities conditions and assessment experts. They frequently teach the essential practice of integrated planning into capital improvement programs. HPM’s continuous planning practices consistently yield efficiencies and savings to K-12 clients. In turn, every dollar within a bond program is utilized to its full potential. Learn more about HPM’s extensive resume managing large scale programs on behalf of K12 school districts.

HPM Holds Ribbon Cuttings for Two New Schools in Manor, Texas

Posted on August 14, 2023

Manor Rise Academy and Manor Early College High School open in time for the school year

Two new schools have officially opened in Manor Independent School District (Manor ISD) in Manor, Texas. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held last week for Manor Rise Academy and Manor Early College High School. HPM served as program manager for the projects, providing project management, quality control and preconstruction services, as well as maintaining schedule and budget compliance throughout construction.

The $45 million Manor Rise Academy is a 116,000-square-foot school on a 40-acre campus on FM 973, set to provide students with new facilities and amenities to enhance their learning environment. The school’s interior includes athletic facilities; a competition gym with seating for up to 500 people; a dedicated gymnasium for physical education classes; a large media center; two art rooms; three maker spaces; performing arts classrooms; and student collaboration areas. Outside the school building, the campus will also house competition-level athletic fields, outdoor learning spaces and playgrounds.

Also opening is the $35.5 million Manor Early College High School, an 85,000-square-foot school situated next to the existing high school on Gregg Manor Road. The early college high school will accommodate around 800 students in grades nine through 12 who have a focus on career and technical education. The school’s open concept will provide a similar educational experience as seen on college campuses and will feature a commons area, coffee shop and cafeteria.

“Education projects require strict scheduling oversight to ensure an on-track completion by the start of the school year, and I am proud of our team at HPM for its dedication to an on-time delivery for Manor ISD. We thank the school district for its invaluable support and collaboration during these projects, and to our partners for ensuring success in the construction of these schools. As we move ahead on additional projects with the school district, we look forward to providing more quality program management services, expanding our footprint further into Manor.”
Ryan Austin, President, HPM

Manor voters approved a $280 million bond package in November of 2019, focusing on projects to accommodate student growth, address facility upgrades and repairs and improve transportation, security and technology within the district. It is one of the largest bond programs the district has initiated in its history. These projects are helping to accommodate growth in the 9,500-student district, which is expected to grow by 2.5% to 5% each year for the next 10 years, according to district student enrollment projections.

Greater Austin is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and was recently projected to surpass San Antonio in population size by 2040, according to the Texas Water Development Board. The population of Manor, located just 12 miles northeast of Austin, has grown by more than 160% since 2010. Manor ISD is anticipating an additional 2,800 students over the next four years, and recognized the need for an experienced and dedicated program manager to oversee the bond program.

Additional project partners for Rise Academy include ADM Architect; Raba Kistner as geotechnical engineer; Civiltude as civil engineer; and Lee Lewis as the general contractor. For Manor Early College High School, partners include Claycomb Associates, Architects; Raba Kistner as geotechnical engineer; and Satterfield & Pontikes as the general contractor.

HPM Promotes David Jones to Program Manager

Posted on January 23, 2023

The culture of HPM is built upon leaders with proven ability to deliver outstanding work products, while also embodying the core values of the company and building meaningful relationships. All who have had the pleasure of interacting with David Jones, know that he fits these criteria and more. Whether it be a client or a colleague, David is sure to ascribe value to all he meets, providing them a sense of belonging and assurance. Along with his personability and leadership skills, David brings astute intelligence and a “can-do” attitude. For these reasons and more, we are pleased to announce the promotion of David Jones to Senior Program Manager.

As Senior Program Manager, David provides leadership to multiple accounts, some of which include Aerojet, Drake State and ALDCNR as he interacts directly with clients and supports teams in their execution of projects. This will be an excellent role for David as a client recently said of him “his leadership style of selflessness and service is both infectious and empowering.” Under David’s leadership, his clients and his teams will be given every resource needed to ensure the completion of successful projects.

When David began his career with HPM in 2018 working as a Project Manager on the University of Alabama account, his willingness to accept new projects of varying complexity and scope quickly distinguished him as a rising star within the company. After proving his ability to navigate challenges with ease, David was promoted to Senior Project Manager in 2021. Before coming to HPM, David worked as a construction manager for Gray Construction and a project coordinator and estimator for KBR. He has over 17 years of total construction experience and a degree in construction engineering technology from the University of Southern Mississippi.

David is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys staying busy partaking in adventurous activities such as hiking and biking when not in the office. He is married to his wife, Laura and is the proud father of eleven-year-old twin daughters, Haley and Ella.

HPM Johnson Brings Holistic Program Management Services to Georgia

Posted on November 29, 2022

HPM and Atlanta-based Johnson Construction Services have announced a structured joint venture as HPM Johnson. The strategic partnership delivers holistic and integrated program management, flexible and scalable owner’s representation, and a range of services across the construction lifecycle for new and ongoing projects throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, throughout Georgia and the Southeast.

Dedicated to all aspects of program management, HPM Johnson provides assessment, planning, contracting and procurement, design and construction management, project controls and move and transition coordination — through to audit, occupancy and closeout. Its approach to program management incorporates a cyclical pattern of assessment and planning to bring about a more effective and efficient program management plan, and ultimately save time and money for its clients.

“Both individually and collectively, the team behind HPM Johnson already possesses a proven track record of program management triumphs within the Atlanta market,” said Johnson Construction Services President and CEO Artis Johnson, an Atlanta native. “Our advantage now lies in our partnership’s ability to execute projects of any size or complexity, while offering access to management and leadership only a firm our size can offer.”

Johnson continued, “Relationships are the driving force behind our business, and our purpose is to represent the interests of owners and bring home success for our clients.”

HPM Johnson brings a combined 55 years of program management experience to Metro Atlanta, having worked with several high-profile clients in the market. Johnson Construction Services was founded in Atlanta in 1993, with a portfolio of projects ranging from education facilities to historic preservation projects. HPM originated out of an 80-year-old Hoar Construction and began our owner’s representation services more than 25 years ago, serving K-12, higher education, local and municipal entities, industrial and manufacturing, and additional sectors throughout the Southeast. After connecting and discovering similarities in each company’s core values and business approaches, HPM President Ryan Austin and Johnson decided to merge services in the Atlanta area and began pursuing partnership opportunities in early 2022.

Marking a Milestone at Manor ISD

Posted on March 18, 2022

Manor Independent School District celebrated an exciting milestone last week with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Early College High School facility. Set to open in the fall of 2023, the 85,000 thousand square foot facility will provide students with a college campus-inspired atmosphere.

“This is a great day in Manor ISD,” said Dr. Andre D. Spencer, Manor ISD Superintendent. “We are breaking ground on a new building for a group of scholars who we expect to break ground academically in their respective fields of interest. We expect great things to come out of this facility and the scholars who will call this home.”

Manor Early College High School Rendering

Manor Early College High School (MECHS) provides students who have been historically underrepresented in higher education the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and associate degree through rigorous academic coursework. The program seeks to create a seamless transition to college and reduce the time needed to complete a bachelor’s degree after high school. The new site’s open concept will support this mission by providing the educational experience found on college campuses, featuring a commons area, coffee shop, and buffet-style café.

“This new campus means more academic opportunities for our students, teachers and ACC professors,” said Dr. Alime Sadikova, MECHS Principal. “It gives students a collegiate atmosphere that provides them with academic freedom and still holds them accountable for their own learning.”

The total budgeted amount for MECHS is $35.5 million. Funding for the school comes as part of a $280-million bond package, one of the largest bond programs in the district’s history, which voters approved in November 2019. The bond will focus on projects to accommodate student growth, make facility upgrades and repairs, and improve transportation, security and technology within the Manor district, as well as this new high school. These projects will help accommodate growth in the 9,500-student district, which is expected to grow by 2.5% to 5% each year for the next 10 years, according to district student enrollment projections.

HPM is serving as program manager for Manor ISD’s capital and facility-based projects, providing project management, quality control and preconstruction services, as well as maintaining schedule and budget compliance. Our team will work alongside Manor ISD to ensure schedule and budget compliance as construction advances over the next three years. This includes the build-out and delivery of a new performing arts center, a new middle and elementary school, classroom additions for three campuses, a transportation facility and four new athletic facilities in addition to the early college.

Andrew Betts, HPM Senior Program Manager

“Manor ISD’s student body is expected to exceed 12,000 students within the next few years, which underscores the need for improved and state-of-the-art educational infrastructure,” said Andrew Betts, HPM Senior Program Manager. “HPM is proud to partner with Manor ISD and to see firsthand the positive impact this investment will have on the community.”

HPM K-12 Services

Saving Time and Money, Despite a Pandemic

Posted on January 27, 2022

It is no secret or surprise that construction projects around the world have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, it has caused delays and budget increases, setbacks that public-school districts typically cannot afford. At Round Rock ISD, however, we delivered over $75 million of work in a period of eight months.

“One of the great successes is that we have been able to accomplish an incredible amount of work in an amount of time that really would not have been possible if we didn’t have the assistance of HPM,” said Melanie Camarena, Round Rock ISD (RRISD) director of construction.

Despite any delays caused by the pandemic, all summer 2020 projects were completed successfully on time. The projects included miscellaneous HVAC, roofing, bleachers, kitchen, and flooring renovations. In addition, there were renovations completed on the PA system, fire alarm system, cafeteria stage, main distribution frame room, a track replacement, and a field turf replacement. Electrical renovations were also completed, including the replacement of panels and main switchgears.

In order to provide a successful completion on these projects, the team helped to redefine and implement schedules, document management, and control protocols. In addition to keeping projects on track, HPM saved the district approximately $1 million in the first year through Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) reviews and pre-audit work.

“From a K-12 district point of view, it’s very difficult to hire a project manager who has the experience to be working in 30 to $50 million dollar or larger projects,” said Terry Worcester, Round Rock ISD chief operating officer. “You really need someone with experience and the knowledge base to be able to work with designers and builders who are in that league, so we procured and were very delighted to have HPM join our team here as a partner, not necessarily just as a consultant, but as a partner to augment our staff and work with us directly.”

HPM is currently serving as the program manager for Round Rock Independent School District’s $500+ million capital bond program, which spans 199 individually approved bond projects. Our role includes the three-year management of the planning, design, and construction of several large projects, including a new elementary school, a new aquatics practice center, expansion of existing schools, modernization of two high schools, and more. This also includes technology, security, and ongoing maintenance. We provide program controls with a dedicated interface with the accounting and financial systems of the district and the development of the master schedule, including all procurement, design, construction, occupancy, and startup milestones.

HPM K-12 Services

HPM’s Anna Sullivan Promoted to Director of Planning & Program Development

Posted on December 7, 2021

One of the most valuable traits our team members can have is the ability to wear different hats and fully immerse themselves in any role and assignment they are given. This versatility is crucial to our business, and we are lucky to have people like Anna Sullivan who boast strong expertise and experience in multiple sectors and markets. Anna’s deep knowledge of not only our business, but of the Texas K-12, higher education and municipal markets, and her natural ability to form meaningful connections with everyone she meets is what has driven her recent promotion to Director of Planning & Program Development.

In her new position, Anna will focus on growing our Planning Services team, primarily in the Texas K-12 market, leveraging her impressive network in the education and municipal sectors across the state as we continue to grow our footprint in the region. She will also oversee the day-to-day internal operations of the Planning Services group, offering her leadership and guidance to everyone on the team.

“Anna has played an instrumental part in growing HPM’s Planning Services division within its first year, and has expanded our network immensely across Texas,” said Tracy Richter, HPM’s vice president of planning services. “She seemingly knows everyone in Texas architecture, engineering and construction, and is one of the most knowledgeable people within the market. She is a vital part of the success we had in our inaugural year, and I look forward to the incredible heights we can reach working alongside Anna for years to come!”

Anna has been at HPM’s Dallas office for five years, having previously served as senior program development manager. Over the past few years, she has worked on a number of projects including Belton Independent School District, Hyatt Place TCU, Round Rock ISD and the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium. Her work at HPM spans markets across the country, including California, Colorado and Illinois.

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