Phase 1 of 3 Completed Over the Summer of 2009
The 1st of 3 phases of a $10 million repair and replacement project was completed at Fred S. Engle Middle School this past summer, and school opened on time to welcome back students on August 31. To continue to maximize progress and ensure completion of the project prior to the start of the 2010-2011 school year, work on Phases 2 and 3 has begun and will continue throughout the current school year and the summer of 2010.
Work began June 22 and contractors worked through the summer on an aggressive schedule to complete Phase 1, which included replacing the plumbing and installing new windows, floors, lighting, ceilings, and a fire-suppression system throughout the core academic space of the 38-year-old building, including more than 40 classrooms and the school’s main hallways.
New energy-efficient windows were installed, replacing the existing single-glazed windows which provided no thermal insulation and allowed significant air infiltration. Window sills and transoms containing asbestos were removed, and new sills, transoms, and soffit panels were installed.
Synertech, Inc. tested for and supervised the removal of materials containing asbestos, including floor tiles. Mattiolla Services, LLC, removed the asbestos and Synertech conducted posttesting.
The cabinetry and hardware in the middle school art room and adjacent storage area, consumer science room, and all seventh- and eighth-grade science rooms was removed during Phase 1 of the project.
New plumbing and sewage connections were installed beneath the science rooms. New cabinetry, lab and demonstration tables, lighting, and ventilation equipment was also installed in each science room.
The art room was redesigned to maximize student work space and storage, and a display area was added. The floor plan of the consumer science room was redesigned to enhance the learning environment and new appliances were installed. New cabinetry and student work tables were installed in the art and consumer science rooms.
New unit ventilators and a heat recovery system were installed in each classroom. The two existing boilers are being rebuilt and modernized.
Finish work for Phase 1 includes new paint throughout the core academic spaces and new window roller blinds.
As a result of the repairs and replacements from Phase 1, the middle school classrooms will have better fresh air, more efficient local controls of HVAC equipment, and indirect lighting.
In addition, all classrooms were wired to support short-throw LCD projection systems. A total of 48 LCD projectors were purchased, and one was installed in each classroom. A total of 32 interactive SMART Boards were also installed so that all classrooms are equipped with the latest instructional technology and hardware. Engle had 16 interactive whiteboards which were already in use.
Installation of the new technology hardware and interactive equipment supports the district’s strategic plan and the 21st Century Task Force recommendations. Goals include incorporating instructional technology at the classroom level and engaging students through technology applications including Web 2.0 tools and collaboration within and across classrooms. The plan also calls for incorporating National Educational Technology Standards for students, teachers, and administrators.
Engle Middle School Renovation: Phases 2 & 3, September 2009-August 2010
Phase 2 and 3 of the project will continue through the 2009-2010 school year and the summer of 2010. Work has been scheduled on evenings and weekends during the school year so as not to interrupt the school day and to minimize the impact on students and the learning environment.
Projects to be completed at Engle during the school year include masonry and brick repointing, painting, roof repairs, boiler repairs, and work on storage areas and ceilings.
In addition, work will begin on some common areas, including the gym and cafeteria. Mechanical systems, lighting, and electrical wiring will be replaced in both areas, and security, fire-detection, and fire-suppression equipment will be installed. New clocks and master alarms will also be installed in core instructional spaces already renovated.
Over the Thanksgiving and Winter breaks, the old chiller is scheduled to be removed from the roof, holes will be cut in the roof and a new chiller will be inset on steel trusses. Air-conditioning will also be installed in the main office.
Phase 3 construction scheduled to occur in summer 2010 includes work in the band and choral rooms, technology classroom, and main office. New windows, plumbing, ceilings, and flooring will be installed in these areas, along with new HVAC and heat recovery systems, lighting, and motion sensor switches, clocks, and master alarms.
Phase 3 also includes remodeling and expanding the nurses’ suite, refinishing the gymnasium floor, and painting the gym and locker rooms.
Asbestos will be removed from the cafeteria during Phase 3, new HVAC equipment will be installed above the roof of the kitchen and cafeteria, cafeteria windows will be replaced, and air-conditioning will be added to the industrial arts room, band room, kitchen, and cafeteria.
Final excavation work scheduled outside the building during Phase 3 includes installing new sewer lines and a new sewer lift station.
Use of Middle School by Outside Groups Restricted During Renovations and Repairs
During the 2009-2010 school year, use of the middle school building outside of school hours will be limited. This is for safety and security reasons as unauthorized persons cannot be inside the building while construction activities are underway. In addition, in order to complete the renovations and repairs prior to the 2010-2011 school year, schedule interruptions must be minimized to the extent possible.
Building use permits will, therefore, not be issued this year to outside groups requesting to use the middle school building or gym for ongoing programs. The building will also not be available for use during July and August of 2010.
Avon Grove School District officials and the Board of School Directors are working with outside groups to determine if other Avon Grove schools can temporarily host the youth sports programs and other ongoing activities previously held in the middle school. The District will make alternate accommodations, to the extent possible, for the 2009-2010 school year and summer months.
Some onetime events, such as sports registrations, may be able to be held at the middle school; however, outside groups should follow established procedures to both request and verify permission to use the building before proceeding.
Permission to use the middle school on a onetime or limited basis, if possible, will be coordinated by the building principal, the director of buildings and grounds, the business manager, and contractors.
Please note that restrictions on use of the middle school by outside groups are temporary. The middle school will again be available for use by outside groups once construction is completed.
Also, the district’s three other school buildings and athletic fields continue to be available for use by nonschool organizations and community groups.
Outside organizations that wish to request the use of a school building must follow the procedures in Board Policy No. 717 and the accompanying Administrative Rule. Fees may be assessed to certain groups for the use of school facilities. Organizations should reference the Facility Use Fee structure for more information. A building use permit will only be issued if the request to use the facility is approved.
The Board Facilities Committee typically meets once each month to review and discuss facilities-related issues. The next two regularly scheduled meetings are Wednesday, October 14, 2009, and Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at the District Administration Office. See the Board Schedule page for updates, meeting agendas, and minutes.
