By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

Since passing a $160 million bond back in the November general election, the Lake Orion Community Schools district has hit the ground running to get the projects planned.

District officials have been working closely with GMB Architects + Engineering to begin bond work that, after eight years, will leave no school building untouched and will position the district to deliver an effective and modern education to all students district-wide for years to come, district officials have said.

In order for these projects to move smoothly over the course of the next several years, the district has put together a project management team that consists of people who are internal in the project.

This team will include Superintendent Marion Ginopolis, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance John Fitzgerald, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercier, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Rick Arnett, Director of Operations Wes Goodman, district administration, district staff, GMB architects and the bond projcet construction manager, Frank Rewold & Son, Inc.

Those who are a part of the project management team will work on laying out the overall process.

Along with the project management team, the district will also have a design team that will consist of qualified community members.

These people would be volunteers who represent the interests of the community, provide input related to bond projects, and would include parents, students, staff, business and community members who can maintain an objective point of view for the good of the district and have a working knowledge of the specified area, according to the LOCS website.

“Some things we already know that we’re going to do but we want their input and expertise,” said Ginopolis, referring to the decisions previously made in the bond document that were approved by the treasury.

Ginopolis also stated that they are moving quickly and the bonds for the first series have been sold so they are ready to get started.

Buildings that are currently expected to be a part of series one are:

• NOTA (2019-2020, series 1)

• Early Childhood Center (2019-2021, series 1)

• Webber Elementary (2019-2021, series 1)

• Carpenter Elementary (2019, 2021, series 1)

• Orion Oaks Elementary (2019-2021, series 1)

• LOHS furnishings (2020-2022, series 1)

• Paint Creek Elementary security (2020-2021, series 1)

• Oakview Middle School furnishings (2020-2021, series 1)

• Stadium Drive Elementary (2020-2022, series 1-2)

• Scripps Middle School (2021-2022, series 1-2)

• Blanche Sims Elementary (2021-2023, series 1-2)

• Waldon Middle School (2021-2024, series 1-2)

Those interested in volunteering can fill out the volunteer application at www.lakeorionschools.org/district/bond-implementation/community-representative-application.