The Santa Rosa County School Board unanimously approved several construction and renovation items on Jan. 16, including a change order tied to traffic signal and roadway revisions at the Soundside High School site, Phase 3 approval for a TR Jackson Pre‑K kitchen renovation and a low‑bid award for the Jay Elementary kitchen and cafeteria project.

District staff described the Soundside change order as largely driven by an extended permitting process with the Florida Department of Transportation and by changes to adjacent development and regulations. Patrick Haley and other district construction staff told the board the change order covers conduit and directional bore work, new pole foundations, updated signal controller cabinets to support emergency vehicle preemption, a switch from induction loops to video‑based vehicle detection, and additional milling and overlay work in the intersection. District staff said they reviewed and negotiated the contractor’s costs and considered them fair and reasonable. During discussion a board member asked for an example and staff cited a $144,000 line item in the package; staff also noted a $42,000 line for solar rapid rectangular flashing beacons to enhance crosswalk safety. The board approved the change order by unanimous vote.

Board members granted Phase 3 approval for the TR Jackson Pre‑K kitchen renovation after staff told members the design package had been completed and supplemental documents provided to account for a newly identified lift station. The motion passed unanimously.

Sam Marshall reported results of a Dec. 17 bid opening for the Jay Elementary kitchen and cafeteria renovation. The district received three bids; the low bidder came in at approximately $1.68 million. Two alternates — reroofing the cafeteria and adding a diesel generator — raised the total low bid package to about $1.971 million. The board approved the award to the low bidder as presented.

Staff also provided a construction update for Soundside High School, reporting progress across multiple trades: exterior masonry, interior stud framing, mechanical systems, roofing at portions of the building, field house foundations, retaining walls and site work. Work at Wallace Lake K‑8 continues with repairs underway, staff said.

All motions on these items were approved unanimously at the Jan. 16 meeting.