The Great Falls Public Schools board approved a $1.48 million contract during their Feb. 13 meeting for the Meadow Lark Elementary addition.

The project will add four new classrooms to the school.

The addition is part of the district’s school improvement projects being funded with American Rescue Plan Act, or federal COVID recovery, money.

GFPS rebidding Sunnyside, Meadow Lark projects

The Meadow Lark addition is part of a package of projects that were approved by the school board in October 2021 and approved by the Montana Office of Public Instruction in December 2021.

The district bid the project in the spring of 2022 but received only one bid that was higher than the amount budgeted for the project.

GFPS discusses progress, needs in technology [2022]

In January, the GFPS board voted to rebid the project and received three bids.

Nelson Architects designed the addition and GFPS is working with Andy Becker from Hulteng, CCM as the owners representative.

GFPS approves facility projects [2022]

Bids were opened Feb. 1 and the lowest responsible bidder was WVH Construction with a $1,480,000 base bid.

The district budgeted $1,709,413.76 of ARPA funds for the project. The district will use ARPA and bond funds for the project, according to the staff report.

GFPS gets state approval for planned use of COVID relief funds for facility improvements [2022]

“Due to the ongoing overcrowding at Meadow Lark Elementary School and the long-term impact of continued large kindergarten classes, the recommendation is to address this ongoing problem by adding four classrooms. When the enrollment exceeds 550 students, additional staffing will need to be added to meet accreditation standards,” according to GFPS staff.

GFPS planning to use ARPA funds for facility improvements, new classrooms [2021]

The Meadow Lark project is one of seven identified by the district and approved by OPI for ARPA funds.

Projects already completed include replacing windows and air handling units at Valley View, Low, Sacajawea and Riverview elementary schools and a partial air handler replacement at C.M. Russell High School.

The final project to be bid is a window project at Sunnyside Elementary School.