Rogue River School

Doing More with Less: Rogue River School District

In 2023, Rogue River taxpayers passed a $4.4 million dollar capital improvement bond to make much-needed structural improvements to their K-12 school facilities. The district also received a matching $4 million grant from the state, effectively allowing voters and taxpayers to get double their money’s worth.

Despite the additional funds, accomplishing every repair and upgrade on the district’s list was going to require creative solutions and a deep understanding of rural K-12 construction. Through a competitive RFP process, district stakeholders determined that Klosh Group could deliver both. 

Big scope, small budget

The most pressing need was to address overcrowding in the high school by creating a new 15,000 sq. ft. facility for the middle schoolers. Currently, there is no separate junior high; it operates out of a single hallway in the high school with no social gathering spaces or locker rooms for students.

  • Location: Rogue River, OR

    Size: 15,000 sq. ft

    Duration: 18 months

    Estimated Completion: September 2025

  • Client: Rogue River School District

    Architect: Arkitek Design

    GC: S+B James Construction

  • Construction Pre-Planning

    Project Management

    Move Management

    Budget Analysis

    Permitting

The district also wanted to improve security at both elementary schools by adding secure vestibules to control building access during school hours. Meanwhile, the high school had aging systems like plumbing and electrical that were on the verge of failing.

It’s a lot to accomplish with the district’s $8.4 million dollar budget. After soft costs like permits, site inspections and design fees were factored in, our team only had about $6 million to work with for construction.

A value-added approach

Through our extensive experience in design-build construction, we knew it would be the most efficient way to utilize the district’s dollars. Not only does this integrated process ensure more accurate construction estimates and prudent use of materials, it also streamlines communication and leads to faster completion times.

Design-build isn’t a common approach for Oregon’s rural schools, but it’s an innovative delivery method that will allow the district to do more with their limited budget. On our recommendation, the district is poised to approve a design-build contract. From there, we’ll issue an RFP and tap into our extensive network of skilled architects, contractors, and consultants to assemble a team that will deliver the most cost-effective solutions.

In the months to come, our focus will shift to scheduling, construction pre-planning and project management. When the project is complete, Rogue River students will have a more functional, secure, and supportive learning environment—and middle schoolers will finally have a space of their own.