2019_10 - KLA Construction Progress

October was a monumental month at the Kosovo Leadership Academy.  Phase 2 was completed!
This includes the entire shell of the class room wing with 18 of 28 classrooms completed.  The classrooms will be capable of housing Pre-K through 12th Grade students.  In addition to the classrooms there are public toilets, staff toilets, staff workrooms, a "grand staircase", elevator, principal's office, attic storage and access to the Phase 1 gymnasium mezzanine where parents can watch their kids competing.

Not only are the kids thrilled to have these beautiful, naturally lighted, clean classrooms, but so are the teachers.  For the past several years the teachers have been room sharing in the multipurpose spaces of phase 1.  Now each teacher can set up their classroom the best way to educate the kids for their specific subjects.

But the work is not done yet.  There are still 9 more classrooms to be completed as well as athletic fields including soccer, basketball, tennis, playgrounds, open play fields and a baseball diamond.  More parking, site lighting, drainage, restrooms and other site amenities will also be in Phase 3.
Thank you for partnering with the KLA in making a difference in the lives of these kids and their families!

East Façade of the Classroom Wing

Lunch Courtyard

"Grand Staircase" in the center of the building

Elevator Lobby looking at the Principal's Office

 Toilet room

 Gymnasium Mezzainine

 Looking up to the gymnasium mezzainine

 New Classroom

New Classroom 

 Outdoor "recess" in Lunch Courtyard

Students assembled in the Entry Hall

 Entry Hall looking towards Classroom Wing

 English class group project

Preschool alone time

Preschool - craft time

Preschool - language arts/writing time

Preschool play time on front lawn

The construction team celebrating!

2019_09 - KLA Construction Progress

September was a busy month at the construction site.  Workers were hurriedly finishing work on the ground level so teachers and kids could begin using the first nine classrooms.  As workers completed their tasks  the rooms were prepared for the teachers to begin their set up work.  By the second week of the month kids were starting their 2019-2020 school year!
Work continued throughout September and will go until the end of October on the second floor, site and boiler installation.  By the end of October Phase 2 should be complete with focus now on the third and final phase of the project, which includes finishing the nine classrooms on the third floor, athletic fields and other possible building elements.

 South Façade Complete

 Stairwell Finishing Work

 Southeast Façade Complete

 Gymnasium Mezzanine Guardrail Panels

2019_08 - KLA Construction Progress

In North America, August means getting ready to go back to school.  In Kosovo the theme is no different, except we are racing the clock to get the school building complete to go to!  Much of the month was spent getting the many small details complete that allows teachers and students to enter the building.   By the time school starts the goal is to have several of the 18 classrooms ready for use.  But this means many larger items like completing hallway flooring, plumbing, electrical, lighting, and many more things.  We are really close to having the rooms ready for the school to place their furniture, equipment and materials to instruct tomorrow's leaders!
After school starts work will continue on the remaining rooms, grounds, and boiler system installation in the existing mechanical room.  The deadline for completing the balance is the end of October.
Continue to pray for the work being completed and continue praying for the teachers and students that will fill these now empty halls and rooms.  A building is not fulfilling its purpose or function unless there are occupants!  And these occupants are very special to the Project Office team.
Enjoy the photos and we hope you see the progress made over the past month and thank you for your support of this amazing project and school!

Classroom Wing - West Façade

Ground Level - Main Lobby (Grand Lobby beyond)

Classroom Wing Corridor

Toilet Room in Lower Elementary Grade Rooms

Classroom Ready for Furniture 

Student Activity Plaza (between Administration Wing & Classroom Wing)

New Guard Rail on the Gymnasium Mezzanine 

2019_07 - KLA Construction Progress

It's crunch time!  Contractors are working towards getting several rooms ready for the start of the school year and the balance of the rooms by the end of October.  There are many small tasks that must be completed for Phase 2 to be completed including flooring, painting, electrical, technology, ceilings just to name a few.  In addition furniture and equipment will need to be ordered and put in place.  Keeping crews focused on what needs to be done when so that other crews can then do their work so that other crews can then do their work and so on is the biggest task at hand.  Enjoy some of these progress photos of the work completed during July 2019.

 Tilework in the toilet rooms completed

 Painting in one classroom completed

 Electric panels installed and wired

 Preparing floors for finishing

 Above ceiling work in place

Exterior finishing nearing completion

2019_06 - KLA Construction Progress

As summer in Kosovo is heating up so are efforts to move towards a fall completion of Phase 2.  Work on the exterior façade is bringing the building to life with multiple colors and patterns to stimulate interest.  Interior finishing continues with ceilings, floors, handrail fabrication, electrical, mechanical and many other details that will make the building a great school facility.

In-floor electrical and communications with insulation prepared for topping slab

 Concrete topping slab installation

Façade work in progress

 Finished façade work

 Handrail fabrication in stairwells

 Toilet Fixture plumbing rough-in

2019_05 - KLA Construction Progress Update 2

Work is continuing at a brisk pace on the KLA Project.  With the extension of the contract for the completion of Phase 2's exterior and the ground and first level will be done by fall of 2019!  The goal is to have several classrooms ready for the start of the school year and the balance by the end of October.  All told by the end of this phase 18 classrooms will be on line with 9 more to come down the road.

 Completed roof!  Just some minor details to finish off

 Work in the main corridors - wall finishing, ceilings

 Wall Plastering

 Moisture barrier installation at ground level

Exterior Insulating Finish System (EIFS) being installed on northwest façade

2019_05 - KLA Construction Progress

I recently returned from a trip to check in on the construction progress of Phase 2 at the KLA.  Work is starting on the interior finishing and the construction team is preparing the exterior for the finish system.  Of course we need to keep in mind why we are doing this work, so I enjoyed some time seeing the students in their classrooms housed in the Phase 1 portion of the school.

 Classroom with initial wall plaster applied

 Main Corridor being prepared for plastering

 Application of plaster in stairwell

 Students in Rally Point time at start of school day

 Students taking Albanian exam

 Students perfecting airplane for timed run

 Students perfecting airplane for timed run

 Just one more adjustment before the next run

 Pre-school gym time

 South west corner of the classroom wing

Northwest corner of the classroom wing - ready for exterior finishing