M-DCPS HOSTS BOND PROJECT TOPPING OUT EVENT AT
MAST ACADEMY

Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho, District 6 School Board member Raquel Regalado, and community leaders gathered at MAST Academy today for a bond project Topping Out event resulting from the overwhelming voter approval of the $1.2 billion General Obligation Bond. The GOB will be used to modernize and construct school buildings throughout the district, expand student capacity, enhance facility safety, and provide technology upgrades at all schools.

The event marks an important milestone in the history of the partnership between the School Board and the Village of Key Biscayne. With the approval of an Interlocal Agreement between the School Board and the Village, through which each party committed to the development of a new 1,100 student station facility for grades 6 through 12, a parking garage, and brand new state of the art playfields on the MAST Academy campus.

The project cost approximately $20 million, which was split evenly between the two parties. The School Board allocated $3.8 million to renovate the existing facility so as to ensure a cohesive and symbiotic campus. The architect for both the new facility and the renovations to the existing school is Silva Architects and the contractor is J. B. Pirtle Construction Co., Inc. The contractor has committed to a M/WBE utilization of almost 21% (combined African-American and Woman-owned firms) and local workforce utilization goal of 10%. Silva Architects is District-certified as M/WBE and SBE.

The MAST Academy project included an approximate 136,000 square foot 2-story classroom building over a 2-story parking garage housing 173 parking spaces. A separate 9,400 square foot building on the west side of the campus includes locker rooms, a weight room, and other PE support spaces.

Extensive use of glazing was provided to take advantage of the project’s natural environment.  Decks created by the parking structure will be utilized as outdoor learning and viewing spaces. The building’s configuration incorporates an outdoor circulation space that plays off of the 2-story instructional spaces on the 3rd and 4th floors. These instructional spaces include general purpose and science classrooms, foreign language and computer labs, 2-D art lab, vocal music suite, and a satellite administration area.
 
Complementing the new capacity, improvements at the existing MAST Academy include the remodeling of an existing science lab space, a new science demo classroom and new science lab with associated support spaces, the remodeling and renovation of the existing robotics/engineering lab and updated infrastructure as well as the expansion and upgrading of the kitchen and dining areas and a new 2,000 square foot exterior covered dining area to accommodate the increased student population. 

The School District also pledged to incorporate a place for the Ruppel Memorial, a tribute to a highly regarded MAST Academy teacher, in the campus master plan.

Center left to right –Superintendent Alberto Carvalho (center left) and School Board member Raquel Regalado (center right) join staff and students today at MAST Academy for a bond project topping out event.

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