Photos courtesy of Jefferson City School District
St. Louis, MO—Jefferson City School District’s students became part of the construction process as they left their painted handprints on the last steel beams to be placed on the Early Childhood Center structure. S. M. Wilson, the project’s construction manager at risk, is expected to place the beams in early September.
This project is the largest in the school district’s Kids FIRST zero-tax-rate-increase bond issue, passed in April 2023. The bond issue is a two-phase approach to completing the necessary new construction, renovations, additions, remodels, technology improvements, and maintenance upgrades throughout the district.
“S. M. Wilson is excited to continue our partnership with the Jefferson City School District,” said Matt Frank, Project Director with S. M. Wilson. “Throughout this project, our team has continued to work tirelessly to ensure that we go Beyond the Build to provide an amazing client experience.”
The Early Childhood Center will increase the district’s capacity to approximately 350 preschoolers from the existing 150. The district’s existing early childhood center will be extensively renovated and receive maintenance improvements to become the relocated Jefferson City Academic Center.
Other Kids FIRST bond issue projects include upgrading technology for all Pre-K through eighth-grade classrooms by replacing outdated smart boards with interactive touchscreens; extensively renovating Lewis & Clark and Thomas Jefferson middle schools; expanding the Nichols Career Center campus and course offerings; and replacing the aging sound and light equipment at the Miller Performing Arts Center; and other projects across the district.
Since Missouri adopted the CMAR delivery method in 2016, S. M. Wilson has created a strong portfolio of CMAR K-12 building programs for Districts, including Ladue School District, Hallsville R-IV School District and Columbia Public Schools. The Firm’s $2 billion in education experience and core values to build relationships while providing amazing client experiences have solidified S. M. Wilson as the premier CMAR K-12 builder.