Dear IAA Families and Staff,
I’m writing today with two important and exciting updates.
First, I am happy to say that after months of work with our construction manager EEI, we have received the final bids for all of the work at IAA. As you will see below, the board has unanimously approved the use of capital funds to move forward with substantial renovations.
Second, EEI is almost ready to begin work on the geothermal portion of this project, which means they will soon be on site and taking over part of the schoolyard.
Both of these updates are laid out in detail below. I encourage you to read through them and reach out if you have questions. Please know we are dedicated to creating a project that creates a long-lasting, positive impact on student learning, and doing that with you as much as possible. As a reminder we have a monthly parent meeting to discuss the plans; the next one is Tuesday, March 19, at 8:15 AM in Principal Scheidt’s office.
Finally, I know that many of you are waiting on a transportation update, among other updates. Because this update is so large, we’ll work to provide another update with details in early March.
In partnership,
Tom
Scope of Work and Cost – This renovation will happen in two phases over the next 16 months. The specifics of each phase are laid out below, and site plans have been posted online. When combined and included with soft costs, we are estimating the total project cost to be about $17.5m.
At last night’s school board meeting, we presented a project update and I recommended the board approve the use of the resources available from our 2017 10-Year Capital Plan funding to complete this project. They unanimously agreed.
We had originally planned a smaller renovation project, focused primarily on using the $10m in ESSER funds to make HVAC upgrades. However, we know the level of investment needed at IAA is substantial and will only continue to grow if we do not take bold action now. In addition, because we already have alternate locations identified for schooling next year, it makes the most sense, and is most cost-effective, to do as much work as we can next year. This is why we decided to use what is essentially the remainder of our Capital Plan funding for this project. We are comfortable with this because all of our other schools have benefitted from renovations of some kind in the past decade, and IAA has the most need now.
Phase 1 – Phase 1 (P1) is work that can be funded in part by $10m in ESSER Funds. Major components of the project include the installation of a new geothermal mechanical system and a new heating and cooling ventilation system upgrade throughout the entire building. The project also includes new LED lighting, attic insulation, and an expansion of the sprinkler system throughout the remainder of the building. The project cost for this portion of the project is $10,393,352, which is lower than we anticipated just a few months ago.
Phase 2 – Phase 2 (P2) is additional work not directly related to HVAC that has long been needed. The project construction cost for this portion of the project is $5,281,662 and includes
- 1965 wing ADA bathroom and classroom doors
- 1965 wing envelope improvements to include new classroom windows and exterior siding
- 1965 wing painting and flooring throughout
- 1904 wing stair railing and stair tower fire separation
- 1904 wing 2nd floor ADA bathrooms upgrade
- 1904 wing painting and flooring throughout
- Gym ceiling replacement
- Parking lot paving and concrete entrances
- Dumpster pad and screening
- Stormwater Improvements
Important Geothermal Update – An important aspect of this project is the installation of a new geothermal system to support heating and cooling in the building. This will require us to drill several geothermal wells on the site, which will be connected underground both to each other and to our new HVAC system.
EEI is getting ready to begin that work, which is going to require restricting access to the field next to the playground. Initially, EEI anticipated this work beginning in April, but they can start this work earlier, which gives us a little bit more breathing room to ensure the work can be completed before the deadline to use ESSER funds.
As we enter this phase, I know you have questions. We’ve tried our best to ask and get answers for every question we think you might have. You can find those below. I also want to acknowledge that the closure of the field comes as a surprise and I hope you will accept my apologies for this. There was a miscommunication between EEI and our staff, and we did not fully understand the impact of beginning this work before the end of the school year. I have asked our team to make sure we are better prepared and have more proactive communication moving forward. If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to: superintendent@bsdvt.org.
When will this start and when can we access the fields? EEI is hoping to start on Monday, March 11 or Monday, March 18, depending on when final permits are issued. They will move all of their trucks onto the property over a weekend and then begin fencing off the area on the following Monday morning. No drilling will occur until the site is properly secured. Once that begins, the field will be off-limits for the remainder of the school year. This photo shows the areas that will be fenced off. EEI will wait to drill the wells under the swingset last, keeping those available for students until May or June.
Will we see or hear construction work activity during the school day? Yes, construction on site will be seen and heard at varying levels of activities. The contractor does not anticipate a significant level of highly impactful construction noise inside the school building, although activities will be heard and seen. Outdoors they anticipate louder conditions during equipment use for drilling of the well field. Occasionally some may “feel” the work progressing and we will be closely monitoring this work as it begins. Currently, outdoor recess will remain in designated safe areas separated by work areas with proper fencing in place. However, if noise and other factors make it too difficult to use the playground, we will offer alternative recess plans (such as taking groups of students to Roosevelt Park); these are already being developed as a precaution.
What about VTCAP testing? Standardized testing requires an environment that is quiet and free from distractions, more than the traditional school day. We are prepared to move forward with testing as planned. If we feel that the construction is creating an atmosphere that makes it unable to have this testing, EEI is open to pausing work for that week. We will make this decision well in advance of the testing date and will communicate with families.
What safety precautions will be taken? This will be an active construction site. The site will be secure and will only be able to be accessed by those working on the site. Crews park inside the site and will not arrive to or leave the construction site during standard drop-off or dismissal times. Access to the site will be locked after construction hours, on weekends and all periods while not attended by the district’s contractor.
Again, I hope this answers any questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out to: superintendent@bsdvt.org.
