It's SUMMER; and as usual the heat and pressure are on the rise!
By Bruce Ballard, Director of Construction and Facilities
Summer heat waves arrived with a vengeance along with the increased pressures of our ever growing list of construction and maintenance projects.
First, let me start by saying that there is no one in our school system who wants things to be perfect for all of our schools and facilities more than we in the Construction and Facilities Department.
However, we are constantly reminded that we live in the real world where nothing is perfect.
The FY2011 approved maintenance and operations budget is the lowest since FY2006, so this will be a tight year. Therefore, we will need everyone's help and cooperation to operate more conservatively and responsibly. This includes honoring the raised temperature settings that are necessary to conserve energy and to control our utility budgets.
The Maintenance Team
Our maintenance team has endured the hot temperatures while performing numerous activities and tasks required for the summer and the upcoming school year.
- We began the summer by clearing areas at Cowan Road Elementary and Jordan Hill Elementary to accommodate summer renovation efforts.
- The Taylor Street campus media center was transformed into a professional learning center and was first used for the Teachers as Learners Conference.
- The Special Education Department has relocated to the ground floor of the Superintendent's office building.
- Instructional Technology also relocated to this building. They can be found on the second floor.
- Jim Smith, our recently appointed Assistant Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer, is moving into the Superintendent's office building as well.
- The Taylor Street campus 'B-Building' has been refurbished and the former Griffin-Spalding Alternative School is moving in with its new name, "Taylor Street Achievement Center".
- Additionally, our maintenance staff has worked on the annual summer tasks, work orders and projects. For example, our electricians worked most of the summer providing power to numerous interactive instructional devices being installed throughout our system.
- In the middle of all this, we closed out FY2010 and began FY2011.
Isn't the heat of summer great!?
The Construction Projects
The pressure is on!
- The contractor for the Cowan Road Elementary renovation is nearing completion of the initial contract, which should provide for a relatively smooth start of the school year. A few more things will be done during the school year, however, we will try to do these in a manner to minimize disruptions.
- At Spalding High School we are completing refurbishing efforts where epoxy flooring has been replaced with tile. While the efforts have progressed well, the reinstallation of the lockers will probably not be completed until the final week of the summer.
- At Memorial Stadium we've been refurbishing the playing field. Other efforts in progress which we hope will be completed prior to football season include fencing, a new flag pole, and installation of aluminum seat planks on the refurbished concrete stands.
- The heat and pressure is highest at Jordan Hill Elementary School. The contract for this renovation effort was not awarded until April, so we knew this summer would present plenty of challenges. Many deliveries have been delayed, including mobile classroom units. We are gearing up with the general contractor and sub-contractors to ensure the basics are in place to get school opened. We are monitoring progress in an attempt to minimize problems, but at best it is going to be agonizingly close - a difficult start of school and far from perfect. Because we're renovating an occupied school, we expect challenges throughout this project.
Amazingly enough, a huge point of relief was provided during the legislative session when capital outlay was funded at 100%. This allows us to fulfill repayment requirements on Carver Road Middle School and now apply for advance funding for the Griffin High School project. If everything goes well, we hope to begin that project during FY2011.
We are definitely looking forward to autumn - and we are hoping for some cooler days and a little less pressure!
