Summer break is not a vacation for the hard-working construction crews upgrading, renovating, and improving AAPS school buildings.
As students leave their classrooms for the Summer, the Ann Arbor Public School (AAPS) hallways are anything but silent. Each year, the district’s Capital Program team—including multiple construction managers, trade contractors and consultants—launches into a rapid, meticulously planned surge of construction and upgrades. Behind the scenes, teams of planners, designers, builders and administrators mobilize to deliver critical infrastructure improvements—all within an intensely compressed time frame. From HVAC overhauls to historic restoration, these projects are transforming AAPS schools into the best possible learning environments for students.
Five Key Takeaways from this Article about AAPS Summer Projects:
- Planning is essential and AAPS takes the planning process very seriously
- Communication is key, AAPS works hard to keep everyone informed
- Every school site has specific challenges so the plans have to be carefully tailored
- Summer 2025 construction includes visible upgrades like lighting, flooring and paint
- AAPS is proud of Capital Program’s track record of opening school buildings on time
Compressed Timelines Require Careful Planning
Although the school calendar may show a 10-week summer break, construction professionals working for AAPS know the real work window is far shorter. “The total available time is much closer to eight weeks,” says Jason Steinhebel, Senior Project Manager at Gilbane Building Company. “Staff usually stay a week or two after students leave, and return a week or two before the new school year begins.”
To make the most of this brief window, planning starts early. Each summer, AAPS coordinates when and where critical upgrades will take place with the location requirements for the following (next) year’s summer construction season. Schedules for work in specific buildings are finalized in April. By May, crews begin delivering boxes, book carts, and packing materials for teachers, helping staff move personal and delicate items in preparation for the work ahead.
Summer is the only time to tackle the most disruptive upgrades—electrical installations, mechanical systems, heavy HVAC equipment, and structural repairs. “Certain activities such as demolition, moving walls, etc. are difficult to complete during the school year,” Steinhebel notes. These are the jobs that can only be done while students are away and buildings can be fully powered down.
Communication is Key to Successful Project Completion
Every summer project begins with strong communication. Construction managers engage with administrators, faculty and staff to develop plans, especially when classrooms need to be emptied. “Science teachers worry about fragile glassware, and music teachers want instruments moved with care,” Steinhebel explains. “We try to accommodate their unique needs.” Each project comes with lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.
Weekly or monthly meetings with principals and administrators help maintain momentum and resolve concerns. Communication extends beyond school walls, too—neighbors living near construction zones receive updates on traffic changes and access restrictions. Transparency keeps the community informed and engaged.
This close collaboration has built trust. Construction Manager McCarthy & Smith, Inc. has been a longtime AAPS partner, and the results show. “The AAPS Capital Program has never failed to open a school on time, except in a rare instance of mother nature intervening,” Steinhebel shares. “But even when severe storms damaged new equipment, we found solutions to keep things running.”
Coordinating Logistics and Adjusting for School-Specific Challenges
Construction across the AAPS is never one-size-fits-all. Each neighborhood school has their own character and site-specific needs for logistics like equipment storage and building access. Timelines are another difference based on programming needs. For instance, high schools offer only about four weeks of full access due to athletics and early staff return, while middle schools offer six and elementary schools closer to eight. These variations require AAPS Capital Programs and construction managers like McCarthy & Smith, Inc. to develop individualized plans for each site.
Safety is the number one priority. “We set up temporary fencing, alternate access points, and signage,” says Bill Laurain, Project Director for McCarthy & Smith, Inc. “We keep students and staff protected from any construction activity on site.” Temporary routes are designated for safe building access, and areas under renovation are strictly isolated.
Equally challenging is working around active summer programs. From summer school and athletic camps to recreational programs, many buildings remain in use. Construction managers work closely with departments to reschedule or relocate events—like the fencing camp at Clague Middle School, which was moved from the gym to the cafeteria to allow scheduled work to proceed.
What to Expect During Summer 2025
The summer of 2025 brings a new wave of improvements across the district. Recent years have focused heavily on mechanical upgrades—air conditioning, lighting, and ventilation systems. Work completed at Clague, Forsythe, Abbot, and Haisley schools has modernized the environmental elements of these learning spaces with more lighting control, better ventilation, and air conditioning.
This summer, the focus shifts to finish work at certain schools—flooring (Scarlett & Community), painting (Scarlett & Community), and upgraded bathrooms (Clague & Scarlett). These highly visible changes will highlight the other improvements like the improved lighting and more flexible spaces. Community High School, a historic site, is undergoing plaster repair and terrazzo flooring repairs throughout to preserve its character while enhancing usability. “We want to maintain the historical look and feel while modernizing the space,” says Steinhebel.
Neighbors and community members will see a lot of activity throughout the district outside as well. Major construction projects broke ground in Spring 2025 at Mitchell Elementary, Dicken Elementary, Logan Elementary and Thurston Elementary and work is already in progress to start some of the most disruptive tasks while school is out on break. Additionally, renovation work is starting at Slauson Middle School; and athletic turf is being replaced at the three comprehensive high school auxiliary practice fields.
High Pressure Doesn’t Compromise Quality
Summer construction at AAPS is a high-stakes operation. One storm can jeopardize months of planning—as it did at Forsythe in 2023, where a gale impacted a newly installed electrical system. Rather than delay reopening, Capital Programs and the construction manager brought in a generator and worked nights, weekends and off-days to keep the school opening and running on schedule.
The key to handling such pressure lies in discipline. “Make the plan and work the plan,” is the mantra of Bill McCarthy, founder of McCarthy & Smith, Inc. Every step is carefully mapped out in advance, from the order of room renovations to the timing of equipment deliveries. When problems and delays arise, crews pivot quickly—without compromising quality or safety. Construction managers work closely with the AAPS Physical Properties team, other departments and building administrators to ensure clear coordination. AAPS custodial and building and grounds teams often play an important and critical role in a successful opening.
Ultimately, these projects are about more than buildings. “The goal is to improve the learning environment,” Laurain emphasizes. “If it’s cooler when the weather gets warmer, if the lighting is better, kids will learn better. That’s the whole point.”
Transforming Buildings into 21st Century Schools
AAPS’ summer construction program is a complex dance of planning, teamwork, and precision. Despite the narrow timeframes and countless variables, the Capital Program team continues to deliver on the district’s promises. From historic buildings like Community High School, to midcentury-modern buildings like Clague Middle School, to the brand-new elementary schools being built, AAPS is creating spaces and learning environments that equip students to learn and grow as community members and global citizens in the 21st Century. As classes resume in the fall, students and staff will return to renewed schools with better features thanks to a summer of hard work behind the scenes.