Between the Bells: How Smart Planning Delivered in 24 Weeks for Dripping Springs ISD

Aug 6, 2025
Between the Bells: How Smart Planning Delivered in 24 Weeks for Dripping Springs ISD

When Dripping Springs ISD brought RO in to renovate both its middle and elementary schools, the brief was clear from the start: students come first, and the work had to happen between school years.

That meant 24 working weeks across two summers to deliver two fully modernized campuses before students returned, with no classroom disruptions and no room for rolling deadlines.

Fast Work, Smarter Execution

At the middle school, the team overhauled more than 120,000 SF across three classroom buildings, gutting interiors and upgrading every major MEP system along the way. At the elementary and middle school admin areas, five trades worked side by side to rebuild the spaces in 18 days, a choreographed push that left no room for missed handoffs.

Working off point cloud scans and using BIM coordination, the project team was able to adhere to the tight schedule.

In between, the team poured a new fire lane and basketball courts around weather delays and absorbed scope changes without shifting a single turnover date.

The Power of a Solid Plan

Going into year two, the team locked in long-lead materials early to stay ahead of pricing, kept the same leadership in place to carry momentum from the first summer, and refined the daily schedule so crews could sustain the pace all the way through August. The result was fewer surprises and tighter coordination, which meant more time spent building and less time chasing the schedule.

One Team, One Schedule

Alignment started early and stayed there. PBK Architects, the school district, the City of Dripping Springs, and the RO field team all worked off the same plan from day one, and when field conditions raised questions, the answers came on site the same day.

Superintendent Daniel Flores called it his favorite project because of how the team showed up for each other through both summers.

What Dripping Springs ISD Got

Over two fast-moving summers, the district walked into the new school year with safer campuses, fully upgraded MEP systems, new ceilings, lighting, flooring, and finishes, better energy performance, and new fire lanes. No deferred scope. No disruption to the school year.

A project on this kind of schedule comes together when the planning is honest, the team is steady, and the owner knows what matters from the start. Dripping Springs ISD did, and the campuses were ready when students walked back in.

See more from this project: DSISD Renovation