Ryan Brennecke / The BulletinAn elementary school is under construction between SW Reed Market and Brosterhous roads in Bend. Bend-La Pine Schools added 58 elementary school students between Oct. 1 and Jan. 15, the first such increase for that period in several years. Most of the district's elementary schools are at or over capacity.

Bend-La Pine Schools this week sent out a request for contractors to tackle the next round of projects funded by a $96 million bond voters approved in 2013.

Much work has already been completed, including more than $3 million worth at Mountain View High, where students now have an upgraded culinary classroom, a track free of pernicious bumps and a new splinter-free gym floor. The two biggest projects, a new middle school near Summit High and a new elementary school in southwest Bend, are also underway, with the buildings set to open next fall. Next up are projects at Bend and La Pine high schools and Jewell and Highland elementary schools.

“We’re in this really beautiful building built in 1919, but it really hasn’t been brought up to standards as far as what classrooms look like now,” said Highland Principal Paul Dean. “We’re looking at putting up new white boards, paint, bringing in some new technology and furniture. These spaces were last renovated in the 1950s, and this work is going to have more a visual impact than any work that has been done at our school.”

Dean said the district is working to balance upgrading the facility with maintaining its historic charm in order to avoid creating an environment that feels “antiseptic.”

One way to achieve this, Dean said, is to preserve some of the 1950s-era lockers the school has used over the decades.

At Jewell, Principal Kimberly Camren highlighted work that will be done to increase accessibility, including the removal of bathroom doors, and moving sinks to a spot visible from the hallway, which she said will help with behavior management.

“Something we’re doing for safety is addressing the fact that neither of our playgrounds are completely enclosed with fencing,” Camren said. “There’s a huge need to do that so those are secure spaces during the day.”

Minus designing and some small-scale efforts, most of the work on these upcoming projects won’t get started until students are gone for the summer. One possible exception is at Bend High, where existing trailers will be replaced with new, permanent classrooms. Brad Henry, the district’s chief operations and financial officer, said that work could get started in May, as summer may not be long enough for the construction.

Bend High will also get a remodeled art room, a resurfaced track and other improvements to athletic areas. At La Pine High, the track will be resurfaced, science labs will be remodeled, and the school will have a new soccer field and a new roof for one of the school’s wings.

After this next round is completed, the district is expected to still have $25 million to spend, which includes funding for work at all of the district’s five middle schools.

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, tleeds@bendbulletin.com