Public Outreach for DJUSD Bond Projects

DJUSD is committed to building understanding and support for our Bond Program. It is important to us that our key stakeholders including students, staff, families, neighbors, local business, and others have an understanding of the details of each project, including purpose, launch, progress, decision making and completion. Our goal is to provide timely information through digital communications, public meetings and more. Please take time to read about our Communication efforts and when and how you can provide feedback and learn more information about the projects that interest you. 

Communication Strategies

Project information: Presented on the DJUSD Bond website (ww.djusd.net/bond)- web page dedicated to each project that includes the following information as it becomes available:

  • Introduction
  • Scope of Work
  • FMP budget any preliminary designs
  • Project Status and estimated project schedule
  • Building Location
  • Meeting resources such as copies of presentations
  • Link to Bond Calendar that would have any scheduled meetings and/or important updates related to the current projects
  • Visual Project Timelines- for each project website, there will be an estimated project schedule timeline. As the project progresses, the project timeline will be adapted to show how that project is keeping to the estimated timeline.

Stakeholder Meetings

  • At least one staff and community meetings minimum (two or more for more significant projects) during the Design Phase
  • At least one staff and community meeting minimum at 25-50% Design Phase completion
  • Additional topical meetings with select groups as needed throughout the Design and Programming Phases (consultants, technical staff, City staff, School Connected Organizations and/or Facilities users, etc.)

Stakeholder Meeting Notifications
Relevant stakeholder meetings will be:

  • Posted to the Bond website calendar
  • Shared in regular Bond e-newsletter updates
  • Shared on school website calendars and web news stories
  • Shared on school social media- #DJUSDBond
  • Shared through principal messaging
  • Shared with Site Council and PTA/O leadership
  • Broadcasted to community members through NextDoor using City communications partnership

Stakeholder Feedback
Feedback is welcomed and encouraged. It is collected in three main ways: 1) Through comments and questions captured at stakeholder meetings, 2) Through emails received through the [email protected], 3) Through comment cards available at school offices.

It is vital that we engage stakeholders thoroughly during the programming and early design phases. While there will be limited opportunities for community feedback during the later design phases, making design changes becomes much more costly as Design Development is concluding.

Once projects break ground, we anticipate we will receive an increased volume of community feedback regarding construction activity. We will address the feedback using the same process as the project design phase.

Responding to Stakeholder Feedback
Every effort will be made to respond and acknowledge emailed comments within 2 business days of receipt. In addition, all feedback received will be reviewed by the appropriate Bond team members (who will vary by project) and themes will be captured in project specific-Frequently Asked Questions posted to the website.

Project Updates
Depending on the update, community members can expect to see updates on projects in some to all of the following ways:

  • Bond Project Web page updates
  • Bond Website news stories
  • Videos and photos of project progress and processes
    • Bond e-newsletter (estimated monthly)
      Our goal is to have a quality bond program that is transparent, accountable and responsive to students, businesses, neighborhoods, parents and schools. Toward that end, we seek to distribute timely and accurate information to the public about each bond project, from start to finish. Our Bond Newsletter will be a primary mechanism for updating interested members of our community. All individuals who provide feedback to our projects will be automatically subscribed to our newsletter. In addition, the website provides a place for the community to subscribe to future e-newsletter editions. The first edition of the DJUSD bond e-newsletter is scheduled to be distributed in the coming months.
  • School website news stories
  • School and District social media, #DJUSDBond
  • Principal messaging
  • Site Council and PTA/O messaging
  • Local media
  • Nextdoor, social network for neighborhood communities
  • DJUSD Parent Broadcast e-newsletter
  • Construction updates may be delivered to homes in the neighborhood

Elements of Communication and Outreach for Each Phase of a Project Timeline

Programming:

  • Project Web page for initial and updated information on the DJUSD Bond website. (Example)
  • Visual Estimated Project Timeline and post to project web page
  • Stakeholder Meetings: (Example)
    • At least one meeting each for staff and community (including parents and any interested community members). Likely, more meetings will be scheduled with day and evening options

Design:

  • Board of Education will review and approve a schematic design to close out the Programming phase and initiate the Design Phase
  • Feedback review includes review of all stakeholder input to inform decision making, update website with FAQs (Example), and provide necessary stakeholder updates
  • Provide Updates- As decisions are made the project web page will be updated, the Bond e-newsletter will share updates, news stories will be posted and any important milestone updates will be shared through the channels described above. (Example)
  • Stakeholder meetings- Detailed cost estimates are prepared and design adjusted accordingly. At least one staff and one community meeting will be held at 25-50% Design Phase completion. Notification for meetings will be shared through the channels described above.

DSA Review/Bidding and Approval of Contracts:

In these phases the design product is translated into the specific plans and specifications for review and approval by the Division of the State Architect. The approved plans are biddable by general contractors. Community may provide public comment at the Board of Education Meeting where the Board approves the contractor.

Construction

  • Groundbreaking events- Project dependent, stakeholders will be invited to groundbreaking events held for Bond projects
  • Construction: Updates- Preserving safe and healthy teaching and learning environments for students and staff, and being a good neighbor to local residents and businesses residing near Bond construction is important to DJUSD. While we will do our very best to minimize construction impacts, we recognize that construction projects may have temporary impacts on noise, air quality, traffic, and use of schools and public facilities. Because of this, the project team will actively work to keep communities affected by construction projects updated. We will make efforts to work with residents and businesses to reduce those impacts as much as possible, and to ensure neighbors are aware of impacts that could affect their daily routines.
  • Meetings-  On large, long-term projects, community stakeholder meetings will be held in this phase so DJUSD staff and construction contractors better understand neighborhood concerns and issues.
  • Notifications- We plan to create a Bond Project Location Map that will help individuals understand what Bond construction projects are located in their area, and we will utilize Nextdoor, the Bond e-newsletter and even paper flyers or mailers for neighborhood outreach related to those projects.

Completion/Occupancy

  • Ribbon Cutting events- DJUSD will hold ribbon cutting events for specific projects at which we will welcome interested stakeholders. Notifications of these events will occur in similar ways to stakeholder meetings.
  • Notifications and updates- In addition, it is likely that as we put the final touches on details like furnishings, technology, etc., meetings with staff students and in some cases, interested community members, would occur. Notification of these stakeholder meetings will occur as stated above.
  • Board of Education-  The last public touch point on a project will be the opportunity for public comment at the Board of Education meeting when the project is presented to the Board with a notice of completion for approval.