Capital Project
Capital Project: Project highlights
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November 2010
The proposed work at Bradt Primary School includes:
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Renovations to the cafeteria to relieve congestion in the lunch line and make better use of current space. This will move students through the line faster and cut down on the overall time required for meals, creating more flexibility for instructional programs.
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Renovations to the occupational/physical therapy, psychology and physical education rooms to create larger spaces for these programs. This work is necessary to make up for space that was reassigned when full-day kindergarten was implemented in 2009.
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Improvements to the signage and appearance of the entrance to the school – both from Hamburg Street and the front of the building – to make it more attractive and less confusing for visitors.
The proposed work at Pinewood Intermediate School includes:
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Classroom renovations/addition to create spaces better suited to house current programs. Special education services and student support programs have grown through the years to meet state mandates, higher standards and our own increased expectations. As a result, every available space in the building is currently in use, and the space and the programs are not always a good match. For example, special education classrooms are cramped and counselors are working with students in old locker rooms – showers included – that have been fashioned into learning spaces.
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Cafeteria renovations/addition to make the space larger so that more students can fit in it at one time. This would reduce the number of hours that meals are being served throughout the day and create more flexibility for instructional programs in the daily schedule.
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Gymnasium renovations/addition to finally create a space for all students and staff to gather indoors. Currently, when Pinewood has a school-wide assembly, it must be held outside or at the high school.
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Also, the small size of the current gym puts severe limits on the school’s physical education schedule. As a result, some gym classes are conducted in the cafeteria and the number of hours Pinewood students spend in PE each week does not meet state requirements.
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Bus loop/parking lot renovations to make this area safer for students, cars and buses.
The proposed work at Draper Middle School includes:
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Media center renovations/addition to create a more effective space for group programming and instruction, as well as technology. This would include computer work stations, allowing students to do research, use independent learning software or receive extra help. With the proposed renovations, a portion of the media center would be bumped out into the courtyard, giving the entire space an inviting look full of natural light and making it the focal point or hub of the building.
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Classroom and office renovations/addition to make more space for special education programs and academic intervention services, which have grown over the years to meet student needs and keep pace with rising state standards. The counseling and nurse’s office would be renovated to offer greater privacy for students, and the security office would be moved so it is more “front and center” in the building.
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Additionally, the art rooms would be renovated to meet state requirements, and improvements to the music rooms would create better space for the vocal music program. Because of the proposed renovations, current classroom space would be lost. To make up for this, a seven-classroom addition would be built at Draper.
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Cafeteria addition/renovations to make the space larger and more adequate for the many public events – ranging from student recognition ceremonies to the senior citizens’ prom – that are held there each year. The public restrooms near the cafeteria would also be renovated, as would the serving line, making it more efficient for students and cafeteria staff.
The proposed work at Mohonasen High School includes:
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Classroom renovations/addition to create updated, modern learning spaces for current and future programs.
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With the exception of a couple rooms that were renovated a decade ago, most of the high school science rooms do not meet state requirements for size. The rooms are small, cramped and offer little space for hands-on learning. Through the project, they would be enlarged, reconfigured and modernized.
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On the other side of the high school, the technology rooms reflect the technologies of yesterday – old industrial arts and vocational equipment that many of today’s parents and even grandparents may well remember. While many of these old skills remain vital, the world expects different things from today’s graduates — the ability to work together on projects both conceptually and in hands-on, high-tech work situations. The renovated technology rooms would be ideal for this kind of learning, with both instructional/collaborative space and computer/technology stations. They will allow current programs ranging from engineering to machining to robotics to strengthen and grow. The flexibility of these spaces will allow programs to adapt as technology evolves.
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The school’s special education rooms would be improved to better accommodate student needs as they strive to meet increasing standards. A new culinary arts instructional space would also be created.
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With the proposed renovations, current classroom space would be lost. For this reason, the plans call for a 13-classroom, two-story addition to the high school.
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Locker room addition/reconfiguration to update these spaces and also bring the district in compliance with Title IX (a federal law that calls for equal education programs – including athletics – for students of both sexes). In addition, a hallway would be constructed through the athletic corridor, making the entire space more functional for athletes and spectators (currently there is no such hallway).
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Auditorium renovations to create a larger lobby area, and more seating on the first floor and through a second-floor mezzanine. The proposal also calls for stage renovations and a new sound system – upgrades that are long overdue.
The proposal calls for the construction of a new transportation facility, which would be built on a section of the 36 acres adjacent to the high school/middle school campus that voters approved for purchase last May. The new facility would have six service bays, one paint booth, a body shop booth and a bus wash, making it easier for workers to maintain the entire bus fleet and contain costs. It would also have training spaces for drivers and office space, as well as room to store 12 small buses (those that have wheelchair lifts and don’t function well if exposed to the elements) and other equipment.
This would replace the current garage, which district officials consider to be a safety hazard. The current building often has puddles on the floor from the rain, and the bus yard can barely hold the bus fleet, which has grown over the years to meet transportation demands. District leaders are also exploring the possibility of using the new garage for a vocational program through which students would learn the basics of auto mechanics.
The proposal calls for the district’s athletic fields to be reconfigured. This is necessary because of the proposed building additions, however officials feel that the changes will also better accommodate athletic programs by providing more space between fields. These changes will also allow officials to remedy ongoing safety issues that have been caused by the high school baseball field’s proximity to local residences.
