Westfield Washington Schools selects construction managers for district expansion plan

Garmong, Hagerman & CORE to construct separate parts of Destination Westfield

Westfield Washington Schools (WWS) has selected the construction managers with whom they will partner on the next phase of Destination Westfield, the school district’s plan to keep up with the growth that comes along with being the top destination district in the state.

• Garmong will take on the elementary school portion of the plan, including the building of a brand new elementary school and upgrading Shamrock Springs Elementary School.
• Hagerman has been selected to manage the district’s new middle school project.
• CORE Construction will handle the expansion of the Virginia F. Wood Early Learning Center as well as the construction of a new tennis complex.

Serving the fastest-growing city in the Midwest, WWS has increased its enrollment every year for at least 23 consecutive years and is on pace to reach an enrollment of 10,000 students by 2026. As the district’s enrollment continues to grow, Superintendent Dr. Paul Kaiser wants to ensure that the district provides high quality learning and extracurricular opportunities for students of all ages.

“Our goal as a school district is to make sure that every Rock is life-ready,” Kaiser said. “For us, that starts before kindergarten, and we take a three-pronged approach, focusing on academics, career readiness and wellness. That is why, as Westfield continues to be the fastest-growing city in the Midwest, we want to ensure students continue to have impactful extracurricular experiences in addition to the nationally recognized academic experience. We are confident that our partners, Hagerman, CORE and Garmong, understand our community and can bring our vision to life.”

Lance Gassert, chief operating officer at Garmong, said he and his team are looking forward to working with the district.

“Garmong is honored to be selected as the construction manager for the elementary school projects,” Gassert said. “We are excited to work with Westfield Washington Schools administration, staff, students, and community to further their mission of ensuring high levels of learning and growth for each student.“

Brice Johnson, client services manager at CORE Construction, understands the importance of these projects.

“Westfield’s school district has set a tremendous vision of maximizing student impact with Destination Westfield, their expansion plan,” Johnson said. “Our team at CORE is humbled and honored to be chosen to carry through construction with part of that vision. We take great pride in building and enhancing the schools that shape our community’s future leaders and cannot wait to get started with these projects. As a father of a toddler myself, I’m impressed with the district’s focus and desire to provide quality education and care for every young Rock!”

Mike Holtkamp, project executive with The Hagerman Group, said they understand the impact this project will have on the community.

“The Hagerman Group is honored to partner with Westfield Washington Schools and CSO to build the new middle school,” Holtkamp said. “Building a better future is what we do, and providing construction management services for this project solidifies our vision by creating a top-notch educational environment for students to learn and grow – ensuring that all Rocks are life ready.“

Each construction company will now work with the chosen architectural firm as well as Westfield Washington Schools to create building plans and a timeline for their projects. Those plans and timelines will be shared with the public when they are finalized.

For more information on the district’s expansion plans, visit wws.k12.in.us/about-us/destination-westfield.