Irmo, South Carolina—Moving an entire K-5 school into portables for a year might not be seen as a winning situation for most elementary school administrators, but for the Principal and staff of Irmo Elementary, their year in “Camp Irmo” was more than worth it, and decidedly better than the alternative.

As the school’s Project Manager (as well as the District’s overall Program Manager), Cumming, in initial meetings with the District, quickly realized that the original plan for the Irmo Elementary construction project, which would require several mid-year moves for the students and staff, would not work. Finding multiple mid-year moves disruptive and unacceptable, Cumming’s project management team reworked the project to include a single move to portables. This decision minimized the impact that construction would have on the school.

Projects completed at Irmo include new classroom wings, a new music room, and the historic restoration of the original K-11 Irmo High School, among other projects. The involvement of those closest to Irmo Elementary — including faculty, staff, students, and parents — was essential to the overall success of this project. According to Principal Shannon McAlister, Cumming was actively involved with these groups, which helped establish and maintain momentum as the project went forward. Program Manager Joe Huggins and Site Manager Lyle Miller worked diligently to exceed expectations and preserve community support as they managed the project and the school’s move to portables in particular.

Although moving the entire school to portables was not originally included in the scope of the project, the Cumming team took on the planning and execution of this move as part of their overall management duties, which also included overseeing the day-to-day construction that was taking place on the Irmo Elementary campus. Cumming’s proactive approach enabled Principal McAlister to plan effectively, and she did so, assigning portables for each of the 24 K-5 classrooms (there were four classes for each grade). Portables were also assigned for the reading resource center, the special education class, two computer labs, the gifted/talented program, two administrative spaces, and restrooms for the 3rd – 5th grades and staff. Principal McAlister has stated that coordinating infrastructure of the portables and moving the entire school into “Camp Irmo” over the course of a summer could not have been done without Cumming’s leadership.

From the outset, this project garnered substantial interest from the community. The reason for this is that the original K-11 Irmo High School, which was built in 1935 and was long the only school for the entire community, was part of this campus. The restoration of this building and its reuse into the new elementary school campus was an important and high-profile issue. The exterior of the building remained intact, while the interior was completely gutted. During construction, it became quickly understood by all parties that the original wood floors from the 1930s were salvageable. Mr. Miller was able to source a local firm to refurbish the floors and reuse them in parts of the newly renovated building. This project saved the District money, but it also added considerable charm to the building and is something that Principal McAlister, her staff, and the school’s parents are especially proud to have achieved.

For the duration of the project, the Cumming team went above and beyond to maintain communication with the school’s faculty, staff, and parents by attending meetings, answering questions, and leading tours of the new space when possible. The meetings with faculty and parents were essential. During construction, Mr. Miller would meet with the teachers and take them on hard-hat tours of the new spaces, giving them an opportunity to envision their futures. This sustained teacher morale while they continued to work and teach in the portables. Mr. Miller also met with the school’s Parent Advisory committee, answering their questions and leading them on hard-hat tours, which helped get information and updates out to the entire school community. Furthermore, he provided regular updates and met with each grade level to educate them on the building process. For example, in the fifth grade science class, Mr. Miller discussed erosion control and site development.

A year in portable buildings is not the ideal learning, working, or teaching environment. But through constant communication with faculty, staff, parents and students, it is possible — as Cumming showed on this project — to create an on-site, occupied construction project that stays on schedule and engenders positive attitudes and proactive involvement.

Basic Facts on Irmo Elementary
  • New Construction: 79,000 sq. ft.
  • Renovation: 32,500 sq. ft.
  • Project Start Date: July 1, 2010
  • Project Completed: August, 2012
  • Total Cost: $14.8 million