BEATRICE – The Beatrice School Board has recommended hiring BCDM Architects to design a new prekindergarten through fifth grade single-site school. The recommendation now goes to the Southeast Nebraska Education Agency, which would oversee the project and its financing.


BCDM would be paid 5.7% of the project’s overall cost, which is yet to be finalized. The company was one of two recently making presentations to the school board.

"Both agencies do incredible work, but I think the presentation from BCDM that we had at our last meeting was just very tailored to our district."
Board member Erin Chadwick was among a group of board members supporting the choice of BCDM.


The interlocal agency approved recently by the Beatrice School Board and Educational Service Unit Number five would hold the contracts for the architect and construction manager, on the project. Board member Eric Trusty said he was comfortable with the partnership with the recommended selection.


"Maybe more of an ongoing partnership, and maybe not so much of a cookie-cutter, here's kind of potentially what you can get.....and size it to what you need."


School Board President Jon Zimmerman said both BCDM and the DLR Group were solid choices in the process of picking an architect.
"One thing that I have noticed with BCDM since I have met with them and talked with them...they really put, it's a student-first type of mentality and they really care about the students. They really go more from the direction of what best suits the students....as opposed to what's the best way to set up a building and then fit it to the students, at that point."


BCDM’s selection was also supported by board members Eric Book and Janet Byars.  (Book) "It's a win-win situation with either company....they had amazing ideas, but I'd like to agree that BCDM would be my choice, as well..(Byars) "One of the things I really liked is we have a fresh set of eyes looking at our district. We have worked with DLR numerous times, and I think it's good to have another organization come in and take a look at what we have. They talked so much about student needs and I thought that was really important."


BCDM has previously been involved in the design of other elementary school projects in Nebraska and was the architect for the Southeast Community College Health Sciences center in Lincoln.


In other action Monday night, the Beatrice School Board approved an updated hazard mitigation plan for the district, working in conjunction with two area natural resources districts and several other governmental agencies. Superintendent Jason Alexander said the agreement helps with eligibility for financial support on projects that address hazards.


"As we can see by the events of just this week it's very important to have a plan in place. Part of that plan includes tornado shelters. It is now a requirement that every school have a tornado shelter in it."  The Lower Big Blue and Little Blue Natural Resources Districts served as the lead entities in the hazard mitigation plan.


Monday night, the Beatrice School Board also approved a new contract with District Superintendent Jason Alexander.  He will receive a compensation increase of 2.97 percent, with the agreement setting his annual salary at $177,865. That puts him at about the mid-range of compensation in comparison to 22 other area superintendents.