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Woodburn-based builder Triplett Wellman is looking for subcontractors to work on the expansion of Gilkey International Middle School in the Forest Park neighborhood 鈥� the first phase of an expected four.

Heavy work on the is scheduled to span the 2017-18 academic year.

Portland architecture firm Hacker drew the plans. The building is L-shaped, with classrooms on the straightaways and common areas located in the knuckle of the 鈥淟.鈥�

Though the site is sloped and difficult to access, Hacker associate principal Stefee Knudsen said, it has advantages 鈥� notably great, unique views. The building faces Portland to one direction, and Forest Park greenery to the other.

鈥淚t’s a little bit of the urban and a little bit of the forest,鈥� she said.

The location also allows enough natural light inside that the school doesn’t require electric lighting, except in restrooms. Also, plans do not call for any active cooling systems. Testing revealed such temperature control would be necessary only in a few spots in the building, and likely only a handful of days annually, Knudsen said.

The project is enrolled in the Energy Trust of Oregon‘s Path to Net Zero energy efficiency program.

The curriculum of the Gilkey school, along with the accompanying French American Lower School, is accredited by the French government. Four other languages are also taught there 鈥� English, German, Mandarin and Spanish.