Tag: texas k12

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.

How Planning Services Sets K-12 Projects Up for Long-Term Success

Posted on June 23, 2022

Written By Alana Abbott, HPM Planning Associate

Strategic planning is an essential component of efficiency models for facilities in nearly every industry. At HPM, we partner with our clients to conduct planning assessments, which we use to create options and recommendations for facility needs. Our planning process addresses four distinct elements: demographics, educational adequacy and physical condition, the operational framework and costs, and available funding. HPM’s dedicated Planning Services division conducts these comprehensive, in-depth analyses.

The Assessment Phase

When beginning the planning process for a K-12 school district, the first step is to conduct an Educational Adequacy Assessment. This is done by first meeting with various faculty groups to develop standardized components necessary for an effective educational space. Our Planning Services team conducts a facility walk-through and ranks each component on a 0-to-2 scale to assess if it is present in the space. This assessment only quantifies the presence of a component, such as a security system, and not if it is operational. This is crucial because you can’t measure if a component works if it’s not present.

There is also an FCA requirement during the early assessment phase. A Facility Condition Assessment analyzes the condition of buildings and their systems as they have moved through time. Using graphs and adequacy and utilization metrics, the assessment shows the deferred backlog and cost of maintenance for each facility. HPM has observed a 20-25% project cost increase if a school district does not conduct an Educational Adequacy Assessment before the Facility Condition Assessment, which underscores its importance.

Long-Range Facility Planning

After all of the assessments have been completed, our Planning Services team develops an additional document called the State of Schools Report, which gives stakeholders a snapshot of all of the relevant data and information that has been gathered about each building all at one time. The report includes data covering current enrollment, space and building utilization, demographics, enrollment history, and area demographics, all organized into clear and digestible graphs. HPM also provides the results from our broader data gathering and analysis on area demographics, facility condition, programs, and budget.

Facility Options and Recommendations Development

In addition to the reports and assessment results that our team formulates, we also provide each K-12 client with multiple options for their facility so they can determine which course of action best meets their needs. These program options may include conducting renovations, consolidations, building new additions to the existing facilities, or disposing of outdated and building new ones. For example, when enrollment in the district is too high or a large number of renovations are needed, it may be difficult for the district to decide how to effectively allocate its funds. Planning Services will also create charts that analyze feeder patterns and school area boundaries if a school is currently overenrolled.

Once the developed option plans have been presented to the district’s administration, HPM holds community meetings where we explain the data gathering process and show community members the possible options for the school district project. Our team asks for potential benefits and challenges, not for the community to vote. Community members are typically given a 10-question survey that includes comment boxes. This helps us alleviate challenges and create more suitable options for the community that will meet their needs as well as those of the district administration. Finally, we use the client and community input to develop recommendations for service, with a focus on the prioritization of goals. The recommendations plan shows the services that are needed, when they need to be conducted and how much each service will cost the client. The entire planning process culminates in a 10-year facilities master plan that the client can use for current and future program initiatives.

Why Does Planning Matter?

HPM’s Planning Services team plays a critical role in the client’s successes and overall project success. Community involvement is a key component of HPM’s planning process. Superintendents and school board members are public-facing figures and must do what they can to make choices that positively impact their community members, who ultimately decide their reelections. The comments that HPM receives from community surveys are a key tool to help HPM identify issues and can serve as a temperature check on community support for a project before any major decisions are made. It is not uncommon for our team to read through hundreds of pages of comments to understand the public’s beliefs around the proposed plans and gauge what hurdles we may have to clear before winning their approval.

For example, a school district represented by HPM planned to combine a middle school with a high school in order to avoid shutting down one of the facilities, resulting in relocating the high school students to an existing academy that would then become a school for grades six through 12. A portion of the community was not pleased with the idea of integrating 11-year-old students with 18-year-old students, so HPM took the time to research similar schools that have seen success in integrating the grades, and proposed a plan to separate the two buildings that housed middle school and high school-aged students. Once HPM addressed the community’s concerns and presented options to the public, worries eased, and the school district was able to secure votes for a bond so that the project could move forward to the construction phase.

HPM’s role is to put our clients at ease, so that planned programs can move forward without any major complications. Through our proven process, we have built a strong foundation of trust with our clients as they navigate difficult planning decisions. To learn more about how HPM’s Planning Services team can assist you with your next K-12 project, please contact us here.

Manor ISD Breaks Ground on K-8 Tech Campus

Posted on June 2, 2022

Last week, HPM’s client Manor Independent School District celebrated a milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new technology-focused campus that will serve students in grades K–8. The two-story, 116,000 SF facility will have a capacity of about 800 students.

Amenities are set to include a large media center, two art rooms, three maker spaces, two gymnasiums, a performing arts classroom, student collaboration areas, and flex space.

“Not only is this a momentous occasion for Manor ISD because it marks the first step in building a new, state-of-the-art facility for our district’s scholars, but it is groundbreaking because it will be the first campus of its kind in our region,” said Manor ISD Superintendent Dr. Andre D. Spencer. “This campus will serve K–8 students under one roof, which is a rare educational model in the public school system in our state. We are excited about the many proven benefits of this model, including lower levels of anxiety among middle schoolers.”

Funds for the project come from a $280 million bond package approved by Manor voters in November of 2019. The bond package focuses 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 k-8 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, providing project management, quality control, and preconstruction services, as well as maintaining schedule and budget compliance during the next three years. The architect, ADM Group, Inc., was contracted by MISD and worked in conjunction with the administration to design the new school. Lee Lewis Construction Inc. is the construction manager at risk.

“HPM is proud to lead Manor ISD and our project partners through the development of this exciting project,” said HPM Senior Program Manager Andrew Betts. “This campus will provide a unique opportunity to incorporate technology and interactive learning within nine levels of education, all on one campus. This ceremony is a symbol of Manor ISD’s commitment to providing the best educational resources for the scholars within this community.”

HPM Promotes Jessica Morris to Senior Project Controls Manager

Posted on March 10, 2022

Great leaders don’t set out to be leaders, they set out to make a difference. This is exactly what Jessica Morris has accomplished over the past two years and why she is being promoted from Project Controls Manager to Senior Project Controls Manager.

Jessica joined HPM in the winter of 2018 and relocated to Round Rock, Texas, with her family to lead the new project controls team for Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD). Prior to joining HPM, Jessica worked with the University of Alabama in contract administration where she worked closely with our UA program management team. She holds a master’s of accountancy and a CPA license. Jessica’s husband, Brian Morris, is an HPM Senior Project Manager and also serves on the RRISD team.

Jessica’s ability to build and effectively lead a team was quickly noticed by our client, and she was asked to serve as the Assistant Director of Construction for RRISD. She became the leader for the HPM team and a valuable resource for the RRISD staff. Jessica’s leadership approach focuses on the engagement of all team members to ensure the project exceeds expectations for the client. Her door is always open, and she is always ready to help solve problems or put out the next fire.

Jessica is detail-oriented and industry experienced across many areas. She delivers audit-level financial reviews, presents financial reports to the district CFO and Board of Education, meets with local construction executives on GMPs, reconciles a $500 million budget back to the district’s accounting system every month and implements processes to create transparency and accountability within the construction department. In addition to her financial abilities, Jessica also oversees the maintenance and implementation of the Master Program Schedule. These skillsets along with her welcoming personality have made her an invaluable asset to our client and to HPM.

“The RRISD team has complete faith and trust in Jessica, all due to her incredible leadership, knowledge and problem-solving skills,” said Melanie Camarena, Director of Construction for Round Rock ISD. “Those skills have helped RRISD accomplish a successful 2018 bond and set the framework for future bond successes. Jessica is invaluable to the district.”

We’ve been named one of the Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work For in America by Great Places to Work multiple years running. Interested in joining our team? Learn more by clicking the button below.

Careers at HPM

HPM’s Olivia Early Promoted to Project Manager

Posted on March 2, 2022

When it comes to successful programs at HPM, earning the trust of our clients is paramount. Olivia Howard Early has not only quickly earned that trust but has become a highly respected, go-to resource for the client. It is for these reasons as well as her continued commitment to excellence that we are pleased to announce her promotion from Assistant Project Manager to Project Manager.

Olivia started with HPM as a co-op, working on several K-12 programs in Birmingham while earning her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at Auburn University. After graduation, she joined the Airbus A220 program in Mobile and quickly became a trusted member of the team in the eyes of both the client and her HPM colleagues. She supported several key projects while managing the global distribution of project reports on behalf of Airbus.

After completing the A220 Program, Olivia headed west with her husband, Jason, and dog, Luna, to take on a new opportunity in Austin, Texas, working on HPM’s Round Rock ISD account. On this $500+ million Bond Program, she has quickly grown to become the project manager of multiple simultaneous projects, coordinates several million dollars of furniture procurements and installs, and is responsible for closing out a $44 million new elementary school project.

She continues to raise her hand to take on new challenges and consistently shows success in a project management role for this very important client. According to Melanie Camarena, Director of Construction for Round Rock ISD, “Olivia has been amazing. She is the only reason we have been successful with our furniture process on both the CD Fulkes Middle School Rebuild and the new Redbud Elementary School.”

Careers at HPM

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

Should You Consider a Specialist for Your Construction Audit?

Posted on October 27, 2021

By Vinson Chapman, Vice President, Construction Audit & Advisory Services

Auditing construction contracts can be complex. The expertise involved is significantly different than typical audits performed by CPAs and involves evaluating subjective estimates, identifying ambiguous terms of the contract, and noting contractual incentives where the owner’s and the general contractor’s interests may not be aligned. A construction audit also requires obtaining and evaluating all the appropriate evidence to support the audit findings. This is not legal work or work performed by an architect.

A detailed analytical review of completed contracts and contracts in progress will provide meaningful information and focus on potential problem areas. Our Construction Audit & Advisory Services combine the skills of owner’s advocate, owner’s representative, program manager, and construction auditor.

Case Study Example

In the case of one independent K-12 school district in northeast Texas, the review of an extension of time by the general contractor/CM and a general financial audit required the expertise of HPM’s hybrid Contract Services, which included both project management and audit expertise.

When the GC/CM fell behind on schedule, their default was to request additional time through weather delays in order to avoid liquidated damages and redirect attention to the reality of the problem areas.

The project management audit review of the contract language and the potential weather impact on the critical path of the schedule resulted in the following:

The contractor did not provide the required documentation during construction for their intent to make a claim for more time per the contract.
The contractor did not provide evidence that there were abnormal (greater than average rain days) periods of weather. This data is measurable and a typical required deliverable in a change order request by the GC/CM.
The contractor’s critical path schedule was not affected by any claimed abnormal weather after review of the installation of work.

Project management issues were the reason behind a significant portion of the Contract Services Audit resulting in a credit back to the school district from the General Contractor/CM. Additional monies were recovered from the financial audit resulting in a total of over 5% of the construction contract value being returned to the district.

This example is somewhat typical of our standard audit findings of between 1% and 5% of the contract value. Obviously, savings of this type are well in excess of the fee to perform these hybrid services. The expertise for these services was not available from the district’s attorney or architect, and without the added HPM support, the district couldn’t defend the GC/CM’s requests. Our specialized knowledge and experience made it possible.

HPM provides peace of mind and confidence you paid the right price for your construction spend.

HPM’s audit service professionals offer expertise to secure fair negotiation and billing for client contracts. We perform comprehensive reviews of job costs that often lead to a substantial net savings of project costs. As always, if we can be of service, please do not hesitate to reach out. Click the button below to be directed to our page.

Construction Audit & Advisory Services

HPM Selected as Program Manager for Manor Independent School District’s Capital Projects

Posted on October 20, 2021

We are proud to announce that Manor Independent School District (Manor ISD) has selected HPM to serve as program manager for its capital and facility-based projects. Representing $174 million in new development, these enhancements are the result of a $280 million school bond program approved by voters in Manor, Texas, in November 2019.

HPM will work alongside Manor ISD to provide project management and preconstruction services while ensuring schedule and budget compliance over the next three years. This includes several new classrooms, transportation, and multipurpose facilities.

“Manor has seen tremendous growth over the past decade, underscoring the need for improved educational infrastructure that can support a student body expected to exceed 12,000 students within the next few years,” said Greg Ellis, HPM’s Vice President of Program Development. “We look forward to seeing firsthand the positive impact that this investment will have on the community.”

The partnership is a continuation of HPM’s growth strategy in Central Texas, where it has already built an extensive program management portfolio for K-12 districts including Round Rock Independent School District, Belton Independent School District and Austin Independent School District. HPM’s success is largely attributed to the firm’s full range of services uniquely tailored to meet the demographic and socioeconomic needs of every community it serves.

“Our work is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and HPM is well known for the ability to cater our services to the specific needs of each school district we partner with,” said Derek McSween, Senior Program Development Manager at HPM. “HPM has the expertise to understand the nuances and challenges that come with working in K-12 facility planning and bond implementation, especially as the coronavirus continues to impact regulations. Our team is pleased to play a part in Manor ISD’s growth story by ensuring that its scholars are provided the highest quality academic and recreational facilities possible.”

Greater Austin is one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the U.S., having increased 34% in population size since 2010 and an impressive 3% in the last year alone. The population of Manor, located just 12 miles northeast of Austin, has grown by more than 160% since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We are grateful to the Manor ISD community for voting to pass the 2019 bond. As we continue to put scholars first, these new state-of-the-art educational facilities will address equity gaps, overcrowding and prepare for the continued population growth,” said Dr. Andre D. Spencer, Manor ISD Superintendent of Schools. “Most importantly, Manor ISD scholars are more than deserving of quality facilities that will enhance their learning environment. We are excited to work alongside HPM for this effort. HPM is truly a remarkable project management partner. It would be almost impossible to complete $280M worth of bond projects without their expertise and dedication to excellence in Manor ISD.”

HPM K-12 Services

The Art and Science of K-12 Facilities Master Planning

Posted on September 23, 2021

It is often expected that the process will be “data-driven” when a Board of Trustees begins facilities master planning. This request immediately raises two questions. First, what data should be used to make informed facilities decisions? And secondly, how should the data be combined to ensure that all facilities’ needs are met?

Earlier this year, HPM’s VP of Planning Services Tracy Richter sat down (virtually) with Terry Worcester, Round Rock ISD’s Chief Operating Officer, as part of our HPM Talks webinar series. HPM currently serves as the program manager for Round Rock Independent School District’s $500+ million capital bond program, providing tangible cost savings and advice built upon a strong foundation of trust. HPM’s role with the school district 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.

Their discussion aimed to answer the two questions above, and detailed how enrollment/demographics, educational framework, facility conditions and financial data form the four-legged stool of facilities planning for K-12 school districts. Richter and Worcester stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this process, and every district faces unique challenges and opportunities. Proper prioritization of those challenges and opportunities is key.

This is why facilities planning is both an art and a science, says Worcester – data can uncover trends, but only through knowing the community “like the back of your hand” will you be able to create a quality road map for facilities and infrastructure maintenance and improvement.

In the end, student achievement is at the center of it all.

“Any facility planning team’s goal should be to remain visionary and inspired to understand the students it is serving, prioritize needs and ultimately achieve that final goal of student excellence,” says Richter.

HPM has provided program management and facilities planning services to numerous K-12 school districts across the country. In Texas, this includes Round Rock ISD, Belton ISD, Kaufman ISD and Austin ISD, among others. HPM has honed its K-12 strategy in the region, and this success is largely attributed to the firm’s full range of services uniquely tailored to meet the demographic and socioeconomic needs of every community it serves.

To hear more about how the approach of using the science of data and the art of data integration will allow your decision-makers to move forward in a well-informed and transparent process, watch the full interview HERE. If you’re interested in more information on how HPM can partner with your school district to incorporate best practice facilities and operational planning into your program, generating the best possible outcome for students and the community, we’d love to hear from you! And if you plan to attend txEDCON on September 24-26, don’t forget to stop by Booth #847 to meet our team.

Our K-12 Portfolio