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Date: 2/16/2017
EAST LONGMEADOW – East Longmeadow Public Schools plan to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to enter into the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) accelerated repair program to replace Meadow Brook Elementary School’s aging roof, window, and doors.
Superintendent of Schools Gordon Smith told Reminder Publications the roof is estimated to cost $1.7 million and replacing the doors and windows could cost $1.9 million.
“The roof was put on in 1993,” he added. “It’s out of warranty and as happens with roofs that are aging, especially flat roofs where you also have other protrusions whether they be vents or skylights, you start to get leaks … Our [Department of Public Works (DPW)] will continue to be fantastic with helping us with any kind of leaks that develop, however we know that the roof needs to be replaced.”
The windows and doors are original to the 1969-constructed elementary school, he said.
“Obviously we’ve made repairs throughout the years to the different door handles and window openings … You’re looking at the original windows that are 48 years old. If they were double-paned, most of the seals have broken, so they’re beginning to fog. So, you know that heat’s escaping, which causes a fluctuation of heat throughout the building.”
The DPW consistently receives work orders to repair the doors at Meadow Brook, Smith explained.
“The DPW does a great job to make sure that [the doors] are closing efficiently and securing effectively, so sometimes they have to adjust the door itself [or] sometimes they have to sand down the door or the door frame to make all that work. The more often you do that – the diminishing returns are what you’re going to achieve.”
New doors would also improve the building’s security, Smith said.
“We could put in doors that are more in line with some of the security features that are strongly recommended, if not required for schools,” he explained. “The security is something we take seriously, so all of our doors have video monitoring. All exterior doors are locked as soon as our students arrive and there’s a buzz-in system.”
The accelerated repair program allows school districts to receive reimbursement at a rate of 50 percent or higher for specific building improvement projects, he said.
However, once a district completes a project through the program it is not allowed to bring the same building forward for additional repairs or construction of a new building for 20 years.
“If we get this project, I’m not concerned because in 2004 and 2008 we added permanent modular classrooms,” Smith said. “You had eight classrooms in 2004, which now is basically our kindergarten wing. And we have four classrooms in 2008 that has basically become our preschool area. In 2008 as well, we put in a new boiler. We updated the electrical system in 2013 … It’s in good condition. We see it as a viable building – one that we’ll continue to maintain and has the capacity to house our pre-K through [Grade] 2 learners.”
Smith said dozens of school districts throughout the Commonwealth enter into the MSBA’s programs on an annual basis and only a few are chosen every year. However, he believes Meadow Brook has a good chance of being accepted by the MSBA.
This year the district also plans to submit an SOI for the fourth year in a row for the MSBA’s core building program for a new or renovated East Longmeadow High School (ELHS). During the past three year, the school was denied entry into the core program.
Smith said he was hopeful this year that the high school would be accepted into the program when MSBA officials visited the school in November 2016, but ultimately the SOI was recently rejected for a third year in a row.
“I take them at their word that it is a process and each year they’re looking at the need and urgency,” he explained. “This year, I think we got further along in the process than we ever have been. We had a senior site study where they come out and they go through the statement of interest with us and tour the building, specifically the areas that we highlighted in the statement of interest … They certainly understand the need and urgency of East Longmeadow High School, unfortunately, from what I understand, they had a number of high schools that had submitted and when you have more high schools being accepted into the program that’s more square footage, so their budget goes quicker.”
The Town Council approved the SOI for Meadow Brook and Smith is drafting an SOI for the high school to present to the council, he said. The Meadow Brook SOI deadline for submission is Feb. 17 and the high school SOI submittal deadline is in April.