August 13, 2018 at 5:01 p.m.
Finishing touches
SA renovation is substantially complete
Finishing touches
BERNE — Starfire high school students had about half of a new facility a year ago. As they prepare to start a new year Tuesday, the transformation is nearly done.
The two-year South Adams High School renovation project is considered substantially complete, with only minor details remaining.
This summer’s $1.5-million second phase of the project has stayed on schedule on the heels of the $1.7 million of work in the summer of 2017.
“It went very smooth. We did not have any major (issues),” said South Adams superintendent Scott Litwiller. “I’m pleased. It went well. We didn’t have to add anything to the scope of the project. It was very well planned out.”
The focus of this year’s renovations, led by design-build firm Performance Services, was on the classrooms on the northwest side of the media center. The work also included transforming the former office area into intense intervention classrooms.
The classroom renovation included eliminating alcoves from a north-south hallway in order to have more instructional space. There is also new carpet, paint, lockers and LED lighting.
The intense intervention area — previously South Adams had no such dedicated space, instead using whatever room was available — has a variety of features to help students with special needs. There are two ADA accessible restrooms, a laundry area, a kitchenette, a sensory room, a quiet room and separate learning centers.
“We have students with lots of different abilities,” said Litwiller. “That allows them to cut down on some of the distractions.
“It’s satisfying to be able to dot that for these students.”
There is also an area that will double as a work room and a hospitality room for athletic and other events at the school.
The two-year South Adams High School renovation project is considered substantially complete, with only minor details remaining.
This summer’s $1.5-million second phase of the project has stayed on schedule on the heels of the $1.7 million of work in the summer of 2017.
“It went very smooth. We did not have any major (issues),” said South Adams superintendent Scott Litwiller. “I’m pleased. It went well. We didn’t have to add anything to the scope of the project. It was very well planned out.”
The focus of this year’s renovations, led by design-build firm Performance Services, was on the classrooms on the northwest side of the media center. The work also included transforming the former office area into intense intervention classrooms.
The classroom renovation included eliminating alcoves from a north-south hallway in order to have more instructional space. There is also new carpet, paint, lockers and LED lighting.
The intense intervention area — previously South Adams had no such dedicated space, instead using whatever room was available — has a variety of features to help students with special needs. There are two ADA accessible restrooms, a laundry area, a kitchenette, a sensory room, a quiet room and separate learning centers.
“We have students with lots of different abilities,” said Litwiller. “That allows them to cut down on some of the distractions.
“It’s satisfying to be able to dot that for these students.”
There is also an area that will double as a work room and a hospitality room for athletic and other events at the school.
The work remaining to be done is minor, including installing a chair rail along the area where the white paint meets the gray in hallways, installing trim and getting the media center, which had been used for storage, back in order.
This summer’s second phase of high school renovation follows 2017’s first phase, which included renovation of the other classrooms around the media center. The high school was originally constructed with an open concept, with partial walls added over the years.
The other major part of last year’s work was relocating the office in order to create a secure entrance to the school. A new intercom system was installed as well.
South Adams School Board members made it clear early on that they were not interested in raising taxes in order to complete the high school renovation work. Instead, the 2017 portion of the project was paid for via money saved from refinancing bonds from the construction of the elementary/middle school to create a single campus. This year’s funding came from a combination of sources, including $647,051 from the rainy day fund, $445,148 from the sale of the former elementary school property, $259,801 that was no longer needed for the energy savings program and about $125,000 that was already encumbered for capital projects.
In looking at the renovation as a whole, Litwiller pointed to two major benefits to students — an improved learning environment with floor-to-ceiling walls to minimize distractions and a secure school with a single-point of entry and doors on all classrooms.
“It feels good. We talked a long time about this and planned,” said Litwiller. “The time was just right that we could do this.”
This summer’s second phase of high school renovation follows 2017’s first phase, which included renovation of the other classrooms around the media center. The high school was originally constructed with an open concept, with partial walls added over the years.
The other major part of last year’s work was relocating the office in order to create a secure entrance to the school. A new intercom system was installed as well.
South Adams School Board members made it clear early on that they were not interested in raising taxes in order to complete the high school renovation work. Instead, the 2017 portion of the project was paid for via money saved from refinancing bonds from the construction of the elementary/middle school to create a single campus. This year’s funding came from a combination of sources, including $647,051 from the rainy day fund, $445,148 from the sale of the former elementary school property, $259,801 that was no longer needed for the energy savings program and about $125,000 that was already encumbered for capital projects.
In looking at the renovation as a whole, Litwiller pointed to two major benefits to students — an improved learning environment with floor-to-ceiling walls to minimize distractions and a secure school with a single-point of entry and doors on all classrooms.
“It feels good. We talked a long time about this and planned,” said Litwiller. “The time was just right that we could do this.”
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