Officials with Buena Vista City Public Schools provided an update on preparations to relocate middle school students to Parry McCluer High School, detailing ongoing planning efforts, construction procurement steps and upcoming community events tied to the transition.
The update, presented during a regular School Board meeting on April 23, outlined both behind- the-scenes logistical work and next steps in the broader facilities project.
Superintendent Heather Ault said planning for the middle school move is already well underway across multiple areas, including scheduling, transportation, safety and student services. Ongoing planning efforts include development of a master schedule, student separation strategies within the high school building, teacher classroom assignments and coordination of arrival and dismissal procedures.
Additional work has focused on emergency operations planning, faculty workroom setup, custodial coordination and parking lot adjustments.
Several physical changes to the campus have already been completed. Those include installation of cafeteria tables, relocation of the weight room with updated camera and badge access systems, and moving and cleaning out the art studio.
Security and access improvements have also been made, including rekeying the Ramsey Center, adding badge access to School Board office entrances and creating a designated entrance for the future middle school health clinic. Windows have also been installed in doors at the new middle school entrance.
The division has also begun the formal procurement process for architectural services, a key step in advancing long-term construction plans.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) has been posted and will remain open for 30 days, with submissions due by 4 p.m. on May 22.
Once proposals are received, a review committee will evaluate submissions using a scoring rubric aligned with the RFP criteria. Top-ranked firms will be invited to interview before final rankings are established and contract negotiations begin.
Ault said the process will conclude with a notice of intent to award and final contract approval.
At the state level, Buena Vista is preparing to apply for Virginia’s school construction grant program, though updated guidelines are still under review by the Board of Education.
Ault said most criteria remain unchanged, but a new scoring component could impact the division’s application. The revised guidelines include a five-point category tied to enrollment trends, awarding points to divisions with increasing enrollment and none to those with declining numbers. According to the presentation, Buena Vista’s enrollment has slightly decreased, from 886 students in the 2024-25 school year to 881 projected for 2025-26.
Final grant guidelines are expected to be approved in June, with the application window likely opening later that month.
As the transition moves forward, the division is also planning a public event to mark the change. A “School That Built Us” celebration is scheduled for May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring an open house walkthrough of the current middle school building, a surplus sale of furniture and equipment, and participation from local vendors and community partners.
