From the Desk of Beth Perrin

Director of Facility Management

School Committee Report February 18, 2005

 

I.     DISTRICT WIDE INFORMATION

    

A.     Facilities Department Reorganization: Update

1.      A facility team meeting took place on January 25, 2005 to discuss the reorganization, the supervisor’s job description and the rotating weekend schedule that the Maintenance, Grounds and Project Teams will be adopting.

2.      Rosemarie Kraeger, Superintendent spoke at this meeting and thanked the entire facilities team for their efforts and their willingness to adapt to change to for the betterment of the School Department. She also conveyed the Town Councils observation that the facilities are looking better than they have in a long time.

3.      The new rotating schedule went into effect on Saturday February 12, 2005. (Copy enclosed)

 

B.     Architect Study for Gaudet Middle School and High School: Update

1.      Bonne De Sousa and Michael McKeon from Kaestle-Boos will give a report to the school committee on February 24th. (Last months presentation was aborted due to a computer glitch).

2.      The full written report will include: a) floor plans of the buildings; b) “As is” report on updates needed and code issues.

 

C.     OSHA visit:

1.      This is an annual visit. A report is forthcoming.

 

D.     District Wide School Programs and Plans: School year 2004-2005: Update

1.      Bookshelves: Ongoing Project

The facilities department continues to build and install bookcases at the High School and Gaudet. The elementary schools will be scheduled next.

2.      Sound System: The PTG from Gaudet School has ordered a new sound system for the Cafetorium. This is scheduled to be installed during April break. (Update)

3.      Playground: Rosemarie Kraeger and Beth Perrin met with Amy Murphy (PTG) and Michelle Fonseca about an update on the Aquidneck Playground. App. 30K has been raised in the last two years for this project. They are having another fundraiser in March.

 

 

E.      IP phone system: Update

1.      Linda Savastano and I visited the Atrion offices and E. Greenwich School System on Tuesday February 1st.  After the “learning curve” E. Greenwich said that they would do it again and that they believe it is the way to go.

2.      Linda met with Cox to find out about a new phone system, rewiring Aquidneck, and Voice Mail. We are waiting for the cost of this system. Because of monetary concerns this may be the stop gap needed at this time. We won’t know until we get the price.

 

F.      Door Replacement, Repairs, and Upgrades and Security: Update (CIP)

1.      NE School Services has been doing the hardware updates (per Fire Marshall’s request) and repairs over the last couple of weeks.

2.      Mulleng Systems Management has written an RFP (MHS: exterior cameras, swipe card and badge system, monitor, door “buzzer” and DVR. JFK/Forest/Gaudet: front door camera, monitor and buzzer. Aquidneck already has this system.).

3.      Linda Savastano has spoken to Mr. Mulleng about how security integrates with our IT department and IT system(s). She is writing a section for the RFP and then we will advertise.

 

G.     Paving RFP:

1.      Louis Berger Group has completed the RFP.

2.      The school system has applied to the DEM for a Freshwater Wetlands Permit at the west parking lot of Gaudet Middle School. We are hoping to be able to locate 2 new storm drain catch basins in the west parking lot. This is very close to the wetlands but won’t alter the hydrologic system. (see enclose facsimile and drawing)

3.      If this is permitted, the school system won’t have to cut up the existing asphalt and create more problems with the existing asphalt.

4.      We will go out for bid after we get a ruling from DEM

 

H.     Indoor Air Quality: Update

1.      A summary of the report is enclosed. The complete report (charts and numbers) is located in Beth Perrin’s office.

2.      A copy of this summary report will be on the web and the full report is located in the Facility Directors office.

 

 

I.       Town Hall: Update

                       Shawn Brown has asked that we put this job on hold for now.

 

 

J.       Various Smaller Projects: Update

1.      The facilities team is in the process of building wall cabinets for the school business office. (Complete)

2.      Beth is working with Sign-a-rama on fire retardant banners for the high school and middle school indicating their status as Regents Commended. (the Superintendent and Asst. Superintendent are reviewing the drawings).

 

II.           GAUDET MIDDLE SCHOOL

 

        A.           Painting Schedule:  Continuation

Thanks to the patience of the Gaudet faculty and Vinnie Giuliano we are proceeding nicely with the painting of the classrooms. All classrooms on the lower level are complete and facilities have started on the second level.

 

B.           Data and electrical for Computers: Bond Update

1.         Coastal Electric has started on the wiring in the remaining classrooms in the Middle School.

2.         We anticipate that Gaudet will be completely wired in the next few months.

 

C.               Greenhouse Gas Reduction Incentive Program: Complete

               School Committee member, Ned Draper, encouraged us to apply for an energy incentive                through the RI State Energy Office.  In November we had to replace a water heater for the                kitchen at Gaudet. This program allows for a $400 incentive if accepted. I spoke to the Energy   Office on Thursday, January 13, 2005. They need additional information to process this                request; however it looks like we may qualify.

              

               We do not qualify because applicants must have an average demand use of 100 kw monthly                or less. Our average demand is 240 kw monthly.

 

D.               Roof Top Chiller:

At the end of last cooling season we were having some problems will a few coil leaks in the new chiller. McQuay (subcontractor of Honeywell) had an engineer evaluate this problem and they think that the best bet would be to replace the chiller in March rather than fix the coils.

 

E.               Elusive water leak in Library: (Complete)

Fury Roofers has been call to repair a water leak in the library office several times. Each time they have been unsuccessful. We removed some of the ceiling to find that it wasn’t the roof, but a drain pipe that takes a circuitous route behind a steel I-beam into the middle of the office. This drain pipe has been tested several times, but it only seemed to leak with after a huge downpour. The drain has been repaired.

 

                                                                                           

III.          HIGH SCHOOL           

 

A.           I.T.  Server Room/IT Work Room/IT Storage: (Temporarily On Hold)

1.       The old “IBM” room (Rm. 8) has been divided into two areas:  Work room and Server Room.

a.       Work room and Storage: A workbench for doing computer repairs and an area for storing parts; equipment, etc. will be built when soon.

 

B.               Odor in Administration/Guidance Offices: (Complete)

1.      These offices have had an odor that seems to come and go for quite a while.

2.      We had 2 visits from the gas company, 3 from the plumber, emptied the acid neutralization tank and spoke with a consultant before getting to the bottom of this mysterious odor.

3.      We had the same problem as Newport Hospital. The ceiling tiles installed this summer (the same ones used by many school systems nationwide) would smell from a combination of moisture and heat.

4.      We have changed the tiles in the guidance hallway, conference room, and guidance offices. The odor has been gone for over a week. 

 

C.               Lab tables: (In process)

The tops of the lab tables in four of the old science rooms have become loose with age. The facilities project team is removing each resin top, leveling the cabinets, making new interior cabinet bottoms, refastening the sinks, and refastening the tops on these tables. The gas piping has been cut off to these tables and will be reinstated if the class requires gas. Most do not.

 

IV.          FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

A.               Exterior Trim LeadLock and Paint: (Ongoing Maintenance and Lead Encasement)

On hold until spring

 

 

V.                      J. F. KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

A.               Windows: (Bond)  

1.         Newport Glass Co. is in the process of replacing all Plexiglas windows in the front of JFK and on the North side. This will exhaust the bond funds made available to the school for window replacement (Oliphant top floor, MHS, Gaudet, front of JFK)-

a.  Installation complete, but we need warmer and dry weather to do the outside caulking.

2.         We have ordered new blinds for the windows in front and north side of the building. (not bond)

 

VI.              AQUIDNECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

                         An engineer from Fury Roofing has been out to look at the pitched roof at the cafeteria side of                     the “new wing”. Fury has tried to repair a leak several times without success.

 

 

VII.            OLIPHANT

 

A.     First floor:

        In order to comply with fire codes and to make the clerical offices at Oliphant more efficient,       the facilities team is doing the following:

                                                    i.     Installed donated modular furniture in the main clerical office. Complete

                                                   ii.     Make a work room out of a former office so that less people walk through causing disruption of work. In process

                                                 iii.     Will install a small kitchen with heat detector in the office formally occupied by the Safety Officer. Most of the equipment needed for this project are already in stock: small refrigerator, microwave, sink, etc. (In the planning stages)