FH Hires new Facilities and Operations Director

Feb 16 2023

The Francis Howell School District (FHSD) Board of Education has approved the appointment of a new director of facilities and operations.

Salum Stutzer will join FHSD as the new director of facilities and operations, effective July 1, 2023. The position is responsible for the 28 buildings that are part of the District’s 150 square mile-operation.
     
Stutzer brings more than 18 years of experience in facility maintenance and project management in both the public sector as well as private higher education. 

Stutzer is a graduate of Central Methodist University and is currently employed with the Independence School District (ISD) as the director of facilities and purchasing.

His duties at ISD include managing all facility operations for the District’s 30 schools. He is responsible for overseeing the District’s detailed cost analysis programs of departmental contracts and continuing analysis of systems and procedures, a role he will also fill in Francis Howell.

Stutzer will also coordinate architectural and engineering services for capital construction and capital improvement projects, including Prop S.

“As we prepare to decide how to spend the remaining Prop S funds and open a new high school, we must ensure every dollar is spent wisely so we can maximize the funding that will drive dollars into our classrooms,” said Chief Financial Officer Dr. Kim Hawk. “I am thrilled that students and staff members will benefit from Mr. Stutzer’s skills and expertise through his important new role with the Francis Howell School District.”

Stutzer serves on the Board of Directors for the Missouri School Plant Managers Association and currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Kansas City Region. He says he is excited to bring his talents to St. Charles County.

FHN Construction update February 2023

Follow this link to  FH Board update from Jeremy Boettler,Construction Manager

Prop_S_Update_-_2022-05-19.pdf

Drone view FH North construction update

Youtube link to drone footage for FHN Construction progress:

https://youtu.be/TJGo-xNlQ-k

May 2022 Construction update

Attached update on Prop S Construction....

Prop_S_Update_-_2022-05-19.pdf

Construction Update at April BOE meeting

Attached is Board Docs Prop S construction update from April 19 BOE meeting.

Francis Howell North Project will proceed

The Board of Education approved bid package #5 and accepted SM Wilson's Guaranteed Maximum Price of $164,723,000. The District's Prop S website will be updated with revised budgets and cost tracking.

Motion was to accept SM Wilson’s Bid Package #05, valued at $126,628,817 and continue construction of the new Francis Howell North High School; the project will be protected from future price escalation.

Moving ahead with the construction of North at the increased cost means we will have to re-prioritize other Prop S
projects and as a result, some work that was originally planned will not be completed. A future bond issue may be
required to accomplish the full scope of work projected as part of Prop S

Prop S Construction Update

Prop S Projects Impacted by COVID-Related Delays and Cost Increases

October Prop S Update

Prop S - Project Manager Jeremy Boettler gave a Prop S update, again reiterating ongoing challenges facing the construction industry, including high demand, labor shortages, inflationary material costs and COVID-related delays in the steel and aluminum industries, which impact project timelines and budgets. Boettler also shared that the facilities advisory committee has been proactively re-evaluating and prioritizing projects, with the goal of providing the greatest possible value for the District at the lowest possible cost in a difficult market.

Boettler said four additional security vestibule projects are scheduled for completion over fall break and construction on the new Francis Howell North is moving along well. The Guaranteed Maximum Price, or GMP, for the Francis Howell North project will be presented at a Board meeting in the near future. It is expected to come in higher than previously expected for the reasons noted above concerning the construction industry.

Prop S August Update

Groundbreaking Held for New Francis Howell North, Prop S Website Launched

Check the Prop S page on the FH District website for frequent updates on construction progress and expenses

Prop S March 2021 Update

March 2021

In March, the District awarded Hof Construction the contract for District wide security vestibules installation, with work set to begin at the conclusion of this school year.

The new security vestibules, which will be part of each school’s front entrance, will enhance the safety of the schools and be ready when students return for the 2021-2022 school year. Impacted schools include Becky-David Elementary, Castlio Elementary, Central Elementary, Harvest Ridge Elementary, Independence Elementary, John Weldon Elementary, Warren Elementary, Barnwell Middle School, Bryan Middle School, Francis Howell Middle School, Hollenbeck Middle School, Saeger Middle School and Francis Howell High School.  

During Spring Break, Prop S work began at Becky-David Elementary. The Facilities and Operations Department utilized this past week to get a jump start on renovation work to try to make up for the week lost due to weather earlier in the Spring. All classroom lights were updated to new LED fixtures and common areas such as the gyms and cafeteria were painted.

Over the summers of 2021 and 2022, Becky-David will have it’s electrical and HVAC systems updated, painting of the classrooms, new flooring, tuckpointing of the building, bathroom updates, parking lot repairs and updates plus much more.

Also in March, the City of St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission approved site plans for the new Francis Howell North High School.

A traffic study at the campus was conducted this month to help ensure traffic runs smoothly both during construction and after the new high school opens.

Additionally, this month, geotechnical testing was conducted in the footprint of the new high school building. Using large drilling rigs, borings were drilled over 20 feet into the ground in order to collect soil samples. These samples help engineers understand the properties of the soil and groundwater beneath the new school, as these site characteristics impact building design.

Prop S February Update

This month, the architect for the Francis Howell North project met with Principal Dr. Nathan Hostetler and staff members from the academic and athletic departments to discuss design plans for the new FHN. The project's Construction Manager At-Risk, S.M. Wilson, provided a Schematic Budget for the FHN campus. A schematic site plan, which shows the existing and proposed developments to the campus, was submitted for review to the City of St. Peters Planning and Zoning Commission. A package for multiple security vestibules throughout the District was sent out for bids from local contractors, with construction to occur during the summer.Add your news summary here.

Prop S Update-Projects underway

Last summer, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition S, a bond issue that addresses critical infrastructure needs across the District. 

Project Manager for Prop S approved

Board of Education approved, on June 18, entering into an agreement with Atlas Building Group, to provide project management services for the Francis Howell School District on the Prop S projects, effective June 22, 2020, at an average hourly rate of $125.00 per hour.

Board of Education Election June 2

In the June 2 election, candidates Mary Lange, Patrick Lane, and Doug Ziegemeier were elected to the Board of Education. This will be the second term for both Lange and Lane, and a first term for Ziegemeier. 

Making Sure Prop S is on Your Ballot

What to do if Prop S is not on your ballot. 

Polling Place Updates

Did your polling place change for the June 2 election? Check out the list of update poll locations. 

Download a Prop S Printable Flyer

Download and print a flyer to help get the word out about Prop S and the June 2 election. 

The 4/7 Solution

Passage of Proposition S would require approval by four out of seven voters, or a little more than 57 percent in the June 2 election—the 4/7 solution. Vote YES on Prop S and help us improve schools across the entire Francis Howell School District. 

Vote from Home in the June 2 Election

Complete your request for an absentee ballot by May 20 to vote from home in the June 2 General Municipal Election. Full instructions and a sharable flyer included. 

Proposition S Facility Update Overview

Proposition S impacts 29 schools and over 17,000 students in our district. See an overview of how the funds generated by Proposition S will improve different facilities. 

Proposition S Election Postponed Until June 2

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Governor Mike Parson has signed Executive Order 20-03, ordering all Missouri municipal elections previously scheduled on April 7 to be postponed until June 2. In compliance with the Executive Order, Proposition S will now appear on the June 2, 2020, ballot.

Approve Proposition S for a New North High School

Francis Howell North High School opened in 1981 as Henderson Middle School. In the decades that followed, there were six additional phases with no single master plan guiding the placement of additions. The result is a building structure that presents challenges for appropriate supervision of students and creates potential student and staff safety issues.

Approval of Prop S Would Provide Additional Space and Improve Safety at Henderson

Henderson Elementary was opened in 1986 and is now more than 30 years old. It is also one of the smallest schools in the District in terms of square footage, and the building has run out of classroom space.

How will the approval of Prop S improve safety and security?

One of the most effective means of preventing intruders in the school environment is to control access at the main entrance of the building.

Vote Yes on Prop S to Ensure Our Facilities Staff Have Needed Resources

Older buildings require significant repair and maintenance, and many of the District’s building systems, like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, are reaching the end of their useful life. It is the great work on the men and women in the FHSD Facilities and Maintenance departments that keeps ourfacilities up and running for our students and staff.

Outdated Systems at Becky-David Elementary

Becky-David is also one of the oldest schools in the District. In the basement is an electrical system so fragile that only Ameren employees have access to the electrical sub-basement. FHSD has over 2.7 million square feet under roof, and this is the only area of the District that our highly-qualified maintenance employees are not allowed to enter.

Why build a new Francis Howell North instead of renovating the existing building?

Francis Howell North High School opened in 1981 as Henderson Middle School. In the decades that followed, six additions were made to the building with no overall master plan, resulting in a variety of roof structures and heating and air-conditioning systems serving all of those different areas.

Phase I and Phase II Projects

The Phase I and Phase II project lists indicate how those funds will be allocated across the District.

Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan

The FHSD Board of Education commissioned the development of a Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan as a proactive approach to assessing the capital needs of the different campuses and facilities located across the District. The CFMP identified $300 million of capital improvements necessary to be made over the course of the next 20+ years.

Francis Howell Board Votes to put Bond Issue on April Ballot

The Francis Howell School District Board of Education voted unanimously to place Proposition S on the April 7, 2020, ballot. Proposition S is a $240 million bond issue that will not increase the current tax rate. Voter approval of Proposition S would allow the District to borrow money now and in the future to address pressing facility needs at schools across the District.