Stone Lakes Elementary School Improves Playground Safety

Challenge: Code Updates Leave School Little Time to Overhaul Playground

When Florida’s Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) updated playground design and safety standards, district leaders acted quickly to renovate the Stone Lakes Elementary playground to align with the district’s new requirements.

At the time, OCPS Facilities staff were managing multiple active projects and district priorities. The playground project required a partner capable of independently managing the day-to-day coordination and execution of the work while maintaining close communication with the district. This approach allowed OCPS project management staff to maintain appropriate oversight while continuing to manage other ongoing projects and responsibilities.

Solution: Gordian’s JOC Provides Trust and Flexibility

OCPS found the partner it was looking for in Ovation Construction, a contracting firm serving Central Florida since 2008 and with a fifteen-year track record of JOC success. The school awarded the project to Ovation via a Gordian Job Order Contract accessed through OMNIA Partners, a purchasing cooperative.

JOC was a savvy choice on the part of district leadership. These contracts are construction ready – details have been ironed out, the Construction Task Catalog® has been developed and contractors have been vetted and awarded. Not only could OCPS get the playground project rolling far faster than they could have with more entrenched project delivery methods, but JOC also gave the district access to a proven contractor capable of seeing the work through to completion with minimal oversight.

Result: School and Contractor Weather the Storm, Meet Compliance Deadline

Ovation Construction began work on the Stone Lakes Elementary playground in August 2025. JOC empowered the contractor to procure material ahead of the project and quickly mobilize crews specializing in playground construction.

The truncated timeline was far from the only challenge. Work occurred during Florida’s famously treacherous hurricane season, and the climate showed Ovation no mercy, flooding the project site with heavy rains. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions, the contractor swung into action.

Ovation dewatered the site without delaying work, a response made possible by JOC. Since Gordian JOC programs use preset pricing for all construction – even when the scope of a project changes – owners do not pay a premium for unexpected work and contractors have no incentive to bombard their customers with change orders. With JOC, the costs are the costs, no matter when the work is done.

Despite the nasty weather, Ovation Construction and its specialized subcontractors finished the Stone Lakes Elementary playground overhaul in a mere three months.

Ovation Construction President Michael Provost attributes the project’s success to the company’s experience and commitment to customer service. “Ovation Construction utilized our proven JOC process and combined that with an investment of understanding our clients’ needs and expectations,” Provost said. “The combination leads to excellent results for all parties involved that centers around clear and consistent communications from start to finish on every Job Order Contract.”

The playground now meets OCPS’ safety and design standards, and students have newer, more reliable equipment to play on. The $511,000 project was completed with minimal oversight from school facilities staff, demonstrating JOC excellence in K-12 construction. For these reasons, Gordian honored the Stone Lakes Elementary School playground replacement with a 2025 Award of Merit in Job Order Contracting.