District’s work projects discussed
Posted on Friday, July 25, 2008
BENTONVILLE - Many of Bentonville's schools have received some maintenance upgrades, but much more work is needed throughout the district, the Bentonville School Board was told Wednesday night.
The board met for its quarterly work session, a meeting during which long-range issues are discussed and consensus can be reached, but no binding board votes are taken. The board discussed the long list of requested facility upgrades that were recommended by the 2020 Task Force in late 2007. The Task Force was a community group established to research various needs throughout the district in preparation for a millage vote. The millage increase failed by a large margin in March. The millage proposal included about $ 7. 4 million for upgrades to existing facilities.
Scott Passmore, director of facilities, said he used about $ 300, 000 in capital-outlay money to complete what items were possible from the list. An additional $ 100, 000 in grant money was used to make necessary renovations to Old High Middle School to accommodate the PE 4 Life program. A grant was found to install ID scanners in all of the district's school buildings. Security and safety upgrades made up the majority of the Task Force's list of recommended upgrades. Passmore said he met with each principal in the district to determine what was most needed at each school.
The big-ticket item that was not possible to complete was the new gym that would have been shared by Sugar Creek and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools. The facility would have also provided classrooms to house the district's gifted and talented program, as well as childcare rooms.
The projects at each school are as follows • Apple Glen Elementary School Projects completed: Repairing metal fascia and roof and new carpet in one classroom.
Still needed: White boards installed in every classroom, new carpet throughout the building, a sports floor in the gym, computer tables for the lab, electrical and HVAC repairs, and replacing the glass blocks in the entry way.
• Old High Middle School Projects completed: Painting interior and awnings, replacing awnings at entrance and renovating a classroom for the PE 4 Life program.
Still needed: New tables / student desks in many classrooms, a new fence around the playground, additional metal doors in the corridor, replacing exterior doors at the bus loop, installing exterior lighting and an intercom at the bus loop, and installing a water fountain near the playground.
• Ruth Hale Barker Middle School Projects completed: ID scanners installed.
Still needed: Additional outdoor intercoms.
• Centerton-Gamble Elementary School Projects completed: ID scanners installed.
Still needed: Some landscaping work; the school did not previously have any landscaping, Passmore said.
• Central Park Elementary School at Morning Star The only item listed was the security scanners, which were installed.
• Mary Mae Jones Elementary School Projects completed: ID scanners were installed.
Still needed: Improving the drainage on campus and improving the sod / grass on the playground.
• Sugar Creek Elementary School Projects completed: Installing new tile and painting the tile grids in some of the classroom wings.
Still needed: Security doors, fence around the playground, computer-lab desks, bathroom renovations and new student desks.
• Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Projects completed: Installing carpet in all requested areas.
Still needed: Repairing the sod / grass on the playground, playground soccer and basketball equipment, additional outdoor intercoms, kitchen improvements and renovations to the electrical and HVAC systems.
• Baker Elementary School Projects completed: Installing carpet in all areas requested and replacing sections of the roof and downspouts.
Still needed: Additional parking, covering the glass with block in the hallways, a fence around the playground, a pipe gate at the bus loop, a new gym with a stage, converting existing gym into classrooms and storage and other renovations to the building.
• Elm Tree Elementary School Projects completed: Installing carpet in 10 classrooms, three exterior doors and awnings, and a new rooftop HVAC unit.
Still needed: Possibly installing more carpet and doors. *
• Spring Hill Middle School Projects completed: Installing carpet in nine classrooms. Still needed: Possibly installing more carpet in some areas. * • Lincoln Junior High School Projects completed: Staining the brick exterior and painting the metal, and replacing the stalls in the main bathrooms. Still needed: New front doors, more lockers for physical education and sports, new seats in the Little Theater, repairing the lighting and sound system in the Little Theater, repairing front sidewalks, a single glass door, exterior solid metal doors (approximately 10 needed ) and general renovations to the building.
• Washington Junior High School Projects completed: Installing new carpet in all requested areas and painting the metal exterior.
Still needed: Renovations to the Coleman Recreation Building, replacing gym bleachers, grounds work and work on basketball courts in the commons area, work on the Little Theater lights, seats, carpet, sound system and stage floor, and general renovations to the building.
• Bentonville High School Projects completed: Adding two security gates last spring.
Still needed: Practice rooms in the band rehearsal hall, upgrades to the current security system, and new steps and fencing at the south building's entrance.
* Unable to be confirmed at presstime.
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