MASTER PLAN NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT!! (revised, 10/11/04)
from Kate Burke Walsh, Chief Operating Officer

I am pleased to inform you that building activities will begin this week on the new High School. The delay was caused by the extended length of time taken by Montgomery County to approve the five permits needed for approval before any work on the school site can begin. A description current of the Permit process follows.

Coakley Williams Construction Company was selected as the builders for our new high school. They have extensive experience nationally and are highly regarded as competent builders with a solid financial and business reputation. Locally, they built the new buildings at Holton Arms School, Connelly School of the Holy Child and Washington International School. They have experience working with faculty and administrations, families, students and residential neighborhoods. We are pleased with the open and flexible attitude demonstrated by the builders.

Check the Lycee Rochambeau Web Page weekly for news, updates and current information as the building progresses. We ask that all faculty, families, students and staff respect the defined work and parking areas to ensure safety and the smoothest possible implementation of the plans. Please contact Kate Burke Walsh, Chief Operating Officer with any questions, suggestions or comments regarding any aspect of the building process. Walsh@rochambeau.org, 301-530-8260 x 204.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT THIS WEEK, OCTOBER 11-15, 2004

• By Friday the 15th the Coakley Williams Construction Trailer will be established in the parking lot adjacent to the Middle School. At this time that parking lot will become construction parking only. New parking signs will assist in clearly designating specific areas.
• A new, temporary parking lot for faculty will be created at the far end of the field in front of the High School, adjacent to the bus access road. This lot will provide supplemental parking for faculty and visitors. Work on this will begin on Tuesday, to be ready for parking next week.
• The main Faculty and visitor parking lot will be behind the high school off the access road. A second entry way is being made to allow cars to come in one way and exit from a second lane; essentially creating a two-way entrance and exit using 2 lanes. Enter from Montgomery Drive; exit right only onto the bus access road to Forest Road.
• The site “limits of disturbance” parameters will be marked off. That is, a safety fence will be put up to define the construction area.

PERMIT ISSUES:
1. There are a total of five permit tracks that are in current review. The following are those permit tracks. The two critical permits to be released for actual construction to start are the Forest Conservation Plan and the Storm water Management and Sediment Control Plan.
2. Forest Conservation Plan – Approved on 9-24-04.
3. Storm water Management and Sediment Control – The County has logged the plan review as approved on 10-1-04. The Mylar documents were picked up on 10-4-04 in the morning and returned to the County in the afternoon. JFW anticipates formal issuance of the permit by close of business 10-6-04.
4. Building Permit for High School – Out of the 15 sign offs required, 10 have been approved. The rest are related to the Forest Conservation Plan and Sediment Control Plan review. Once the issuance of item #3 above, the building permit will be issued shortly thereafter.
5. Building Permit for Gym Addition – Out of the 14 sign offs required, 10 have been approved. The rest are related to the Forest Conservation Plan and Sediment Control Plan Review. Once the issuance of item #3 above, the building permit will be issued shortly thereafter.
6. WSSC On-site Water and Sewer – We have obtained the “Pink Slip” from WSSC on 8-31-04. There are 5 documents that need to be executed by the school prior to issuance of the WSSC permit. Once the documents are submitted a two-week approval process should be anticipated. This will not hold up the critical path at this time.