Date: Fri 17-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLK

Quick Words:

Reed-school-capital-projects

Full Text:

WITH CHARTS: The Superintendent's Perspective On The School Projects

B Y J OHN R EED

S UPERINTENDENT OF S CHOOLS

During the next several weeks, I will take advantage of this opportunity

provided by The Bee to inform our citizens about the planned school projects,

including need, proposed content, and cost. Because of the magnitude of the

High School project, it will be the focus of the first few articles. Future

articles will deal with elementary school space needs, including the planned

addition to the Hawley School.

A Little Past History

The need for an addition and improvements within the existing building has

been well documented over the last decade. The 1985 accreditation report by

the New England Association of Schools and Colleges made it quite clear that

improvements to our High School physical facilities had to occur. That

organization eventually warned us that our accreditation would be in question

unless corrective action was taken. Because of a temporary enrollment decline

on the high school level, the facilities expansion recommendations of NEASC

were put on the back burner for a few years.

In 1993, the Superintendent gathered a task force composed of citizens, staff,

and students to review the space needs of the High School. The task force

affirmed the conclusions of the accrediting committee when it issued a 54-page

report defining specific space needs.

The following year the Board of Education hired a professional firm to

complete a master plan, at a cost of $30,000, for the High School. Its

findings were in alignment with those of the space needs task force and called

for a 60,000 square foot addition to the High School based upon a projected

population of 1,388 students. The report also focused on significant internal

renovations to be made to the existing building. In addition, the report

commented that certain code compliance work was necessary to conform to state

regulations.

With the approval of the Legislative Council, the Board of Education filed for

state funding for this project in June of 1993. Presently the state has

committed to paying for 40 percent of the cost of all qualifying aspects of

the project, which are estimated to be 80-85 percent of the entire project.

The Board of Education and Public Building Committee selected the

architectural firm of Kaestle Boos and the construction management firm of O&G

to receive a contract, subject to town approval of funding, for the design

work for this project. On February 1, 1995, the Legislative Council authorized

$1,173,000 to hire Kaestle Boos and O&G Industries for the design work. As a

part of this process, a preliminary budget estimate of $19,000,000 was

provided to the council by O&G Industries. This preliminary budget did not

include a partial roof replacement, irrigation of Jenner Stadium, improvements

to the existing septic system, auditorium renovations, swimming pool

renovations, and most importantly, mechanical revisions to the existing

facility beyond code updates.

Now that the architect and construction manager have spent hundreds of hours

studying the High School, including taking selected samples from elements of

the infrastructure, they have given a more detailed budget estimate to the

Board of Education. Using the preliminary estimate of $19,000,000, I would

like to address the current elements of the project and the reasons for the

change in the estimate.

The population figures used in the original master plan are at this time two

years old. The newest figures forecast the High School enrollment will grow to

1,519 students. A related increase in the projected square footage of the new

addition from 60,000 to 73,000 has added $900,000 to the project. In addition,

consultation with town safety officials has led us to conclude that we must

take steps, which were not originally contemplated, to increase the parking

and traffic flow and the overall safety of the site, adding $700,000.

As noted at the time the estimate was given to the Legislative Council in

February, some of the elements of the infrastructure were excluded. The

architect and construction manager are recommending the following improvements

to the infrastructure at the High School, which add $3,584,183 to the project.

They are:

1. Roof - A portion of the roof has only approximately three years of useful

life remaining; the roof should be replaced so we don't run the risk of having

a newly renovated building experiencing major leaks.

2. Plumbing - The domestic hot water system is beyond its life expectancy;

replace it with a new high efficiency system with a 2-4 year pay back.

3. Air Conditioning & Ventilation - The chiller, chilled water distribution

system, and some air handling units have deteriorated and must be replaced.

Operating costs will be significantly reduced.

4. Heating System - The deteriorated electric heating system to the existing

boilers should be converted; boilers should be refurbished and retrofitted

with high efficiency burners. Operating costs will be significantly reduced.

5. Electrical System - Current service should be increased from 1,000 KVA to

2,000 KVA, and a new emergency generator should be provided to meet the Life

Safety Code.

The items above account for the elevated estimated cost for the High School

base plan, which is $24,179,508. In addition, the architect and construction

manager have identified elements of the existing facility that they recommend

the town consider doing as a part of the project. The Board of Education has

identified them as alternates to the project and approved their design.

Alternate No. 1, Industrial Arts - Renovations to lower level shops areas,

which would enable the High School to bring its curriculum offerings in these

areas in line with most other high schools in the state. This contemporary

emphasis in industrial arts will enable us to incorporate programs such as

modular technology, computer assisted drafting, and robotics. The renovations

to the lower level shops, architect and engineering fees, testing, and bonding

costs are estimated to be $804,936.

Alternate No. 2, Technology - Software systems and technology equipment,

including software system, head end equipment such as file servers, working

hub, video retrieval equipment, and computers, monitors, and printers in all

instructional areas throughout the High School. The base plan provides for the

High School to be networked with the necessary infrastructure cabling. The

architect has informed the board that this technology program will bring our

high school to a level similar to most high schools that have been built

throughout the country during the last several years. Costs are estimated to

be $935,000.

Alternate No. 3, Sports Package - A small gym addition would provide another

teaching station in order to schedule gym classes during the day and would

also serve as a station for intramurals or interscholastic sports. Costs are

estimated to be $567,600.

Alternate No. 4, Locker Room and Other Internal Athletic Facilities

Renovations - Renovations would be made to lockers, benches, shower areas,

locker rooms, team dressing rooms, and physical conditioning room. Estimated

costs are $1,140,480.

Alternate No. 5, Stadium Field & Track - The stadium field would be enlarged

to incorporate the soccer field, and the running track would be widened, as

well as surfaced for all-weather use. Fields would be irrigated to maintain

the grass to enable much greater use. Estimated costs are $288,200.

Because of State aid, the estimated net cost to the Town of Newtown for

construction of the base plan of $24,179,508 is $16,442,068. If all the

alternates were to be done as a part of the project, the estimate net cost of

the $27,916,724 would be $18,982,692.

Scope of the Work

The Site: The Newtown High School site is a 47.6 acre parcel located off Route

34. While the basic configuration of the site will remain unchanged, there are

areas where important changes will be made. Over 140 new parking spaces will

be created. Separation of school bus and other vehicular movement will be

implemented. The north parking lot will be extended toward Route 34, and all

delivery vehicles will be limited to this area. The stadium will be provided

with an all-weather track, and handicapped accessibility to all fields will be

provided. There will be an alternate bid that will result in the stadium field

being widened to enable all sports to play some games there. The field would

then need to be irrigated because of increased use.

Area "A" is a three-story addition connected to the existing building at the

Main and Upper Levels.

The Lower Level will consist of the Kitchen, Servery, Cafeteria, and future

expansion areas. The Cafeteria will have an outside seating area. The Servery

area is designed around a scatter system, allowing the service of over 460

students in approximately 10 minutes.

The Main Level addition will contain eleven classrooms and one large group

instruction room, two three-quarter size classrooms, and two one-half size

classrooms.

The Upper Level will contain 17 classrooms and science laboratories plus a

small computer lab.

Area "B": The Main Level of Area "B" will consist of a renovated and expanded

Media Center and classrooms. The Media Center, which will face the exterior

courtyard, will include institutional and distance learning classrooms,

computer work stations, stack, reading areas, and a small faculty professional

library.

The Upper Level Area of "B" will comprise the second floor of the existing

building, which contains classrooms, faculty offices/workrooms, and several

computer labs.

Area "C": The Main Level of Area "C" will be renovated existing space and will

contain guidance, administration, health services, faculty workroom, and

additional classrooms. The main entrance lobby will be expanded to accommodate

auditorium and gymnasium audiences as part of the code update.

The Upper Level Area of "C" will comprise the second floor of the existing

building, which contains classrooms, faculty offices/workrooms, and several

computer labs.

Area "D": The Lower Level of Area "D" currently contains photography and

autoshop work areas and other classrooms that will be updated for code-related

items in the Base Bid. A Technology Education Alternate, which proposes a

complete renovation of the existing industrial arts shops, will be bid as an

alternate. This space will be designed to accommodate a new high tech approach

to Technology Education.

The Main Level of Area "D" will contain new expanded rooms for the existing

cafeteria and music and art programs. The auditorium will be updated to

address ADA and Life Safety Codes only.

The music area will include a band room for 200 students, a chorus room, an

electronic music classroom, practice rooms, and storage. The art area will

include one two-dimensional, one three-dimensional art studio, and a small

instructional classroom.

Area "E": The Lower Level of Area "E" currently contains the natatorium (pool)

and locker rooms. These areas will be updated for code-related items in the

base bid. Complete renovations to the existing locker rooms and the creation

of two health classrooms will be included as alternate.

The Main Level of Area "E" includes the gymnasium and natatorium (pool)

bleachers. This space will undergo code update work only. An alternate

proposal is to build a two-story additions to the south of the existing gym

(adjacent to the parking lot). This addition will house a physical education

station on the Main Level and storage and team rooms on the Lower Level.

The school system will seek other opportunities to have a dialogue with the

community about pending projects. From now until April, every Wednesday

evening at 7:30 pm, on Channel 21, there will be a program devoted to some

aspect of the pending projects. If you have a specific question or would like

to become more involved in helping the community learn about the projects,

please call 426-7621.