Hard hats are still required to tour the campus of Marysville Getchell High School, but in just a few short months it could begin welcoming students.

The new high school, perched on a scenic overlook off 84th Street with a view that stretches for miles, was originally expected to be ready for occupancy for the 2011-2012 school year. Thanks to the district's capable management and the favorable construction climate, work is progressing quickly and the administration is confident Marysville Getchell High School will be filled with students in the fall of 2010.

The school campus consists of separate buildings for each of the four Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) that will share the campus. A common gym, cafeteria and athletic field complex will serve all four academies.

Capital projects director John Bingham led a tour of one of the three-story buildings and the surrounding grounds on October 8, pointing out the major construction and engineering accomplishments the school is achieving.

"The district has already earned several national and international awards for the school's design," said Bingham.

Recognition includes a Best in Concept award from the Northern Pacific Chapter of the International Interior Design Association, Best Design Concept from the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, honors from the National School Board Association, and a Merit Award from International DesignShare.

The separate spaces, all of which are three-story buildings, feature open, flexible classrooms, several large gathering areas, access to outdoor common spaces and high-tech amenities to help facilitate learning.

In addition, the needs of each SLC were considered in the buildings' design. The one closest to completion, Building D, will be home to the International School of Communications. To support the academy's curriculum, the building has a spacious area specifically designed for the TV3 broadcast studio and the school's vocal music program, in addition to traditional classrooms and labs.

"Relationships are important for the school community," said superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland, "so each building includes a school assembly space that will accommodate the entire student body."

The ongoing construction project is massive, with 120 workers generally on site everyday. Construction manager Mike Brady, who has 26 years of experience with the Marysville School District, helps oversee the day-to-day operations and has been instrumental in ensuring the project stays on track.

Also playing an important role for the new school is Tracy Suchan Toothaker, formerly the principal at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Toothaker now has the title of planning principal for the new high school, and her job has been to make sure the building's design supports the instructional needs of teachers and students.

"It's important to plan the spaces based on how they're going to actually be used," she explained. "The materials used, the layout of the rooms, the traffic flow within the corridors are all important considerations."

Bingham noted that the school design has earned recognition from the Washington Sustainable Schools Program (WSSP), "and it's for more than the energy-efficient design of the buildings themselves," said Bingham.

"Even before construction began, the site preparation work was planned to be responsible and sustainable," he said. "Materials that were removed from this site, from rocks to dirt and plants, have been reused in other locations."

As an example, boulders from the school site were relocated to Marysville's Asbery Field as part of its renovation a few months ago. Reusing soil and landscaping materials have resulted in a project savings of nearly $800,000.

In fact, the district's cost-saving strategies have sliced approximately $2 million off the project's estimated price tag. Some of those savings are being realized by an accelerated construction schedule, and the slowdown in other construction projects has allowed the district to re-bid some of the work, resulting in lower prices.

The campus, which will house the International School of Communications, the Academy of Construction and Engineering, Bio-Med Academy, and School for the Entrepreneur, is 55 percent complete, with an expected "significant completion" date of mid-June for all components.

This time next year, the site that's now occupied by bulldozers, piles of dirt and shiny ductwork will be filled with excited students, cheering for the Chargers athletic teams and building a healthy dose of school spirit.

And, depending on the outcome of the February bond and levy measures, John Bingham and his outstanding crew may be knee-deep in another construction project at Cascade or Liberty elementary school.