District #14, under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Brad Polanin, partnered with OPTERRA twice to accelerate their vision with over $11.6 million in creative solutions across 106,488 sq. ft. of school buildings.
This collaboration helped the School Board:
- Avoid cost increases, risks, and inefficiencies of a low-bid, piecemeal approach
- Improve safety, security, compliance, and overall building performance
- Enhance air quality, ventilation, thermal comfort, and acoustics
- Upgrade key spaces including entrances, classrooms, labs, and shared areas
- Strengthen the local workforce by prioritizing preferred providers and reinvesting in the community
“I’m an educator, not a construction manager. If I had tried to manage this project, seeking out the lowest bidder for each component + then overseeing all the moving parts, we would still be planning it, with 10 years’ worth of work ahead of us!”
– Dr. Brad Polanin, Superintendent
Professional Paid Student Internship Highlights
Program Overview: The District #14 OPTERRA Paid High School Internship provided students with hands-on experience, professional skill-building, and exposure to real-world career opportunities.
““Being on site at my school has been really cool because I am getting to see how my District is working to become more sustainable. I am glad to be able to take this experience with me to college to use for my future endeavors!”
– Tori Scales, HS Student