Massachusetts School Building Authority

Transcription

1 Massachusetts School Building Authority School District Billerica District Contact Tim Piwowar TEL: (978) Submission Date 1/10/2012 SOI CERTIFICATION To be eligible to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI), a district must certify the following: gfedcb The district hereby acknowledges and agrees that this SOI is NOT an application for funding and that submission of this SOI in no way commits the MSBA to accept an application, approve an application, provide a grant or any other type of funding, or places any other obligation on the MSBA. gfedcb The district hereby acknowledges that no district shall have any entitlement to funds from the MSBA, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 70B or the provisions of 963 CMR gfedcb The district hereby acknowledges that the provisions of 963 CMR 2.00 shall apply to the district and all projects for which the district is seeking and/or receiving funds for a portion of a municipally-owned or regionally-owned school facility from the MSBA pursuant to M.G.L. c. 70B. gfedcb The district hereby acknowledges that this SOI is for one existing municipally-owned or regionally-owned public school facility in the district that is currently used or will be used to educate public PreK-12 students. gfedcb After the district completes and submits this SOI electronically, the district must sign the required certifications and submit one signed hard copy of the SOI to the MSBA, with all of the required documentation described under the "Vote" tab, on or before the deadline. gfedcb The district will schedule and hold a meeting at which the School Committee voted, using the specific language contained in the "Vote" tab, to authorize the submission of this SOI. gfedcb The district will schedule and hold a meeting at which the City Council/Board of Aldermen, Board of Selectmen/equivalent governing body voted, using the specific language contained in the "Vote" tab, to authorize the submission of this SOI. gfedcb On or before the SOI deadline, the district will submit the minutes of the meeting at which the School Committee votes to authorize the Superintendent to submit this SOI. The MSBA's vote template, which contains specific reference to the school and the priorities for which the SOI is being submitted, will be used, and the minutes will be signed by the Chair. gfedcb The district has arranged with the City/Town Clerk to certify the vote of the City Council/Board of Aldermen or Board of Selectmen/equivalent governing body to authorize the Superintendent to submit this SOI. The district will use the MSBA's vote template and submit the full text of this vote, which will specifically reference the school and the priorities for which the SOI is being submitted, to the MSBA on or before the SOI deadline. gfedcb The district hereby acknowledges that this SOI submission will not be complete until the MSBA has received all of the required vote documentation and certification signatures in a format acceptable to the MSBA. LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR (E.g., Mayor, Town Manager, Board of Selectmen) Massachusetts School Building Authority 1 Statement of Interest

2 Chief Executive Officer School Committee Chair Superintendent of Schools (print name) (print name) (print name) (signature) (signature) (signature) Date Date Date Massachusetts School Building Authority 2 Statement of Interest

3 Massachusetts School Building Authority School District Billerica District Contact Tim Piwowar TEL: (978) Submission Date 1/10/2012 Note The following Priorities have been included in the Statement of Interest: 1. gfedc Replacement or renovation of a building which is structurally unsound or otherwise in a condition seriously jeopardizing the health and safety of school children, where no alternative exists. 2. gfedc Elimination of existing severe overcrowding. 3. gfedc Prevention of the loss of accreditation. 4. gfedc Prevention of severe overcrowding expected to result from increased enrollments. 5. gfedcb Replacement, renovation or modernization of school facility systems, such as roofs, windows, boilers, heating and ventilation systems, to increase energy conservation and decrease energy related costs in a school facility. 6. gfedc Short term enrollment growth. 7. gfedc Replacement of or addition to obsolete buildings in order to provide for a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements. 8. gfedc Transition from court-ordered and approved racial balance school districts to walk-to, so-called, or other school districts. Potential Project Scope: Repair Project HVAC/ Boiler Is this SOI the District Priority SOI? School name of the District Priority SOI: YES District Goal for School: Please explain the educational goals of any potential project at this school The goals of this potential project are: (1) Provide a safe, secure, welcoming, and healthy environment for our students; (2) Increase the desirability of the Billeirca Public Schools' physical plant through a district renovation, construction, and maintenance plan that draws from a variety of funding sources; (3) Increase energy conservation and decrease energy related costs in a school facility; (4) Replace boilers in the system that have exceeded their useful life expectancy and where they are both at risk of failure and not operating with enough energy efficiency. The potential project is for the replacement of the boilers at the School which was built in The building is heated by two H.B. Smith, 450 mills, 20 section cast iron sectional hot water boilers installed in One boiler was provided with an IC dual fuel burner, model DC-7027, serial number MMG 42S in 1988; the second boiler was provided with a Gordon Piatt dual fuel burner, model R 12.9-GO-30 in District's Proposed Schedule: What is the District's proposed schedule to achieve the goal(s) stated above? At the 2011 Billerica Fall Town Meeting, a $700,000 warrant article for boiler replacement was approved by the body, with the intent of that funding to be used for replacement of the boiler system at the School. The district has previously secured Knight, Bagge & Anderson, Inc. as the architect for this project, and they developed initial design Massachusetts School Building Authority 3 Statement of Interest

4 specifications for the replacement. This job will be bid in spring 2012 so that a contract can be awarded for construction to occur in summer Is this part of a larger facilities plan? YES If "YES", please provide the following: Facilities Plan Date: 12/15/2008 Planning Firm: Knight, Bagge & Anderson, Inc. Please provide an overview of the plan including as much detail as necessary to describe the plan, its goals and how the school facility that is the subject of this SOI fits into that plan: This plan was developed in 2008 as part of a study of the windows, roofs, and boilers of the nine buildings in the Billerica Public Schools. In the executive summary of this plan, it identifies that "... [the district should] make every effort to replace all boilers in the next 5 years." Of the boilers in question that have not yet been replaced, the Hajjar Elementary School boilers are of the highest priority as they are original to the building's construction in 1970 and have far outlived their anticipated life expectancy. Please provide the current student to teacher ratios at the school facility that is the subject of this SOI: 15 students per teacher Please provide the originally planned student to teacher ratios at the school facility that is the subject of this SOI: 14 students per teacher Is there overcrowding at the school facility? If "YES", please describe in detail, including specific examples of the overcrowding. NO Has the district had any recent teacher layoffs or reductions? If "YES", how many teaching positions were affected? 5 At which schools in the district? Ditson Elementary, Kennedy Elementary,, Locke Middle Please describe the types of teacher positions that were eliminated (e.g., art, math, science, physical education, etc.). From FY11 to FY12, the following positions were eliminated: 0.5 FTE kindergarten at Ditson, Grade 2 classroom and 0.4 FTE psychologist at Kennedy, Grade 3 classroom at Hajjar, Two sixth grade classrooms (ELA/Social Studies and Math/Science) at Locke Has the district had any recent staff layoffs or reductions? If "YES", how many staff positions were affected? 9 At which schools in the district? Ditson Elementary, Vining Elementary, Parker Elementary, Locke Middle Please describe the types of staff positions that were eliminated (e.g., guidance, administrative, maintenance, etc.). District-wide, nine paraprofessional positions were eliminated from FY11 to FY12: three at the Ditson, three at the Vining, two at the Parker, and one at the Locke. Please provide a description of the program modifications as a consequence of these teacher and/or staff reductions,including the impact on district class sizes and curriculum. At the elementary level, class sizes increased in the buildings were teaching staff were reduced as follows: Ditson Elementary School: average of 22 students/kindergarten class Kennedy Elementary School: average of students/grade 2 class School: average of 25 students/grade 3 class Locke Middle School: average of 28 students/grade 6 class Please provide a detailed description of your most recent budget approval process including a description of any budget reductions and the impact of those reductions on the district's school facilities, class sizes, and educational program. The FY12 operating budget for the School Department was approved as recommended at the May 2011 Annual Town Meeting. This budget included a $250,000 line item for extraordinary maintenance, which was preserved although discretionary supply spending was reduced in other areas. Staffing was reduced in the areas listed above; this had a negative impact on class YES YES Massachusetts School Building Authority 4 Statement of Interest

5 size as similarly referenced above. Massachusetts School Building Authority 5 Statement of Interest

6 General Description BRIEF BUILDING HISTORY: Please provide a detailed description of when the original building was built, and the date(s) and project scopes(s) of any additions and renovations (maximum of 5000 characters). School was opened in It is constructed steel and masonry block with a brick veneer, with only two significant renovations done. Roof replacements were done over a three year period from using EPDM membrane, and in 1997 there was an addition of a modular classroom. TOTAL BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE: Please provide the original building square footage PLUS the square footage of any additions SITE DESCRIPTION: Please provide a detailed description of the current site and any known existing conditions that would impact a potential project at the site (maximum of 5000 characters). Site acreage is 15 acres of level land surrounded by residential wooded area. BUILDING ENVELOPE: Please provide a detailed description of the building envelope, types of construction materials used, and any known problems or existing conditions (maximum of 5000 characters). The envelope is very good, the structure is steel/masonry block with a brick veneer, and windows are crank out single pane glass. The roof was replaced between 2007 and 2010 with an EPDM membrane. Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the EXTERIOR WALLS? NO Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 0 Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the ROOF? YES Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 2010 Type Of ROOF: EPDM membrane Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: Total roof replaced with EPDM membrane between 2007 and 2010 Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the WINDOWS? NO Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 0 Type Of WINDOWS: Crank out single pane Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: MECHANICAL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: Please provide a detailed description of the current mechanical and electrical systems and any known problems or existing conditions (maximum of 5000 characters). There is one roof top unit that has been declared non-maintainable. The electrical system is in good condition, and the boiler is original converted from oil to gas. Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the BOILERS? YES Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 2010 Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: Major repairs have had to occur on a regular basis due to the following: Boilers have had numerous leaks as well as leaking plubming associated to the heating system. Boilers have also required plug repairs to numerous sections due to severe corrosion primarily in the rear sections. The drums of boilers have leaking nipples adding more corrosion and they cannot be repaired due to extreme rusting. The entire system Massachusetts School Building Authority 6 Statement of Interest

7 insulating jacket is covered with asbestos. Indirect water heater is in extremely poor condition and cannot be isolated even though it is not in use. Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the HVAC SYSTEM? NO Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 0 Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: Has there been a Major Repair or Replacement of the ELECTRICAL SERVICES AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM? NO Year of Last Major Repair or Replacement: 0 Description of Last Major Repair or Replacement: BUILDING INTERIOR: Please provide a detailed description of the current building interior including a description of the flooring systems, finishes, ceilings, lighting, etc. (maximum of 5000 characters). The interior consists of 32 classrooms with 10 other rooms for labs, office, nurse staff, etc. Other facilities include a gymnasium, cafeteria with stage, and a separate full-function kitchen. There is also a library. Floor coverings are original VCT with carpet in the library and several small special use rooms. Interior walls are masonry block walls, painted with a collapsible wall in each classroom. Ceilings are 2x4 ft suspended ceiling system. Lighting is 2x4 ft. fluorescent with 32 watt bulbs. Fire supression is kitchen hood only. The fire alarm system was replaced in 2009, and the intrusion alarm is original. The backup generator runs the heating system, kitchen refrigerators/freezers, and some lighting. PROGRAMS and OPERATIONS: Please provide a detailed description of the current programs offered and indicate whether there are program components that cannot be offered due to facility constraints, operational constraints, etc. (maximum of 5000 characters). The School houses 522 students in Grades K-5 as a neighborhood school in North Billerica. There is an average of four grade-level classrooms at each grade level, and in addition the Hajjar houses the Life Skills program at the elementary level for the Billerica School District. In addition, the Hajjar is a cluster school for students that are receiving ELL services. There are no program components that cannot be currently offered due to facility or operational constraints. CORE EDUCATIONAL SPACES: Please provide a detailed description of the Core Educational Spaces within the facility, a description of the number and sizes (in square feet) of classrooms, a description of science rooms/labs including ages and most recent updates, and a description of the media center/library (maximum of 5000 characters). There are 31 classrooms at the School. Five classrooms, used in Grade K-1, are 1420 sq ft, twenty-four classrooms are 900 sq ft, and two classrooms are 876 sq ft. The library is 2080 sq ft, and there are no separate science facilities. CAPACITY and UTILIZATION: Please provide a detailed description of the current capacity and utilization of the school facility. If the school is overcrowded, please describe steps taken by the administration to address capacity issues. Please also describe in detail any spaces that have been converted from their intended use to be used as classroom space (maximum of 5000 characters). The Hajjar currently houses 522 students, which is a decrease from the number of students in recent years. Although this enrollment figure is greater than the MSBA guideline capacity of 358 for this building, that is due to the current size of classroom spaces, which are smaller than current recommended guidelines. All grade-level classrooms are in rooms that were designed for that purpose. MAINTENANCE and CAPITAL REPAIR: Please provide a detailed description of the district s current maintenance practices, its capital repair program, and the maintenance program in place at the facility that is the subject of this SOI. Please include specific examples of capital repair projects undertaken in the past, including any override or debt exclusion votes that were necessary (maximum of 5000 characters). Our current maintenance practices include routine and scheduled preventative maintenance programs and capital projects. Massachusetts School Building Authority 7 Statement of Interest

8 Emergency repairs are responded to immediately. Maintenance requests intiated from any one of our nine shcool that are classified as health or safety related are given top priority. During the development of our annual operating budget, principals are required to submit capital improvement requests. All proposed projects are evaluated by the Director of Facilities and the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations. Approved projects are subsequently added to the District's Five Year Capital Plan. In 2008, the district hired an architectural/engineering firm to evaluate the Billerica Public Schools, and that has provided the basis for the identification of major capital projects since the publishing of that plan. Boiler replacements have occurred at the Locke and Marshall Middle Schools and Billerica Memorial High School, roof repairs have been completed at the Hajjar, Dutile, and Kennedy Elementary Schools, as well as Billerica Memorial High School. A window replacement project is currently in progress at Billerica Memorial High School, and the district is building a new Parker Elementary School that will open in September Of these projects, only the new Parker School has required a debt exclusion vote. Massachusetts School Building Authority 8 Statement of Interest

9 Priority 5 Please provide a detailed description of the issues surrounding the school facility systems (e.g., roof, windows, boilers, HVAC system, and/or electrical service and distribution system) that you are indicating require repair or replacement. Please describe all deficiencies to all systems in sufficient detail to explain the problem. The School is heated by two H.B. Smith, 450 mills, 20 section cast iron sectional hot water boilers installed in One boiler was provided with an IC dual fuel burner, model DC-7027, serial number MMG 42S in 1998; the second boiler was provided with a Gordon Piatt dual fuel burner, model R 12.9-GO-30 in The two current boilers have had numerous leaks as well as leaking plubming associated to the heating system. Boilers have also required plug repairs to numerous sections due to severe corrosion primarily in the rear sections. The drums of boilers have leaking nipples adding more corrosion and they cannot be repaired due to extreme rusting. The entire system insulating jacket is covered with asbestos. Indirect water heater is in extremely poor condition and cannot be isolated even though it is not in use. In addition, due to their age, these boilers are not running at efficiency levels that are consistent with current-day standards, and replacement of these boilers will lead to reduced energy usage, and as a result, savings in utitlity costs that can be applied to other needs in the district. Massachusetts School Building Authority 9 Statement of Interest

10 Priority 5 Please describe the measures the district has already taken to mitigate the problem/issues described in Question 1 above. A study of the boilers across the district was conducted in 2008, and at that time it was identified that the district should "make every effort to replace all boilers in the next 5 years." Boiler replacement was completed at the Locke Middle and Marshall Middle schools, and in the inteirm, extensive repairs have been done to the boilers at the Hajjar to keep them operational. In addition, the boilers have been converted from oil to gas to reduce energy costs. In spring 2011, the district secured Knight, Bagge & Anderson, Inc. as the architect for the boiler project at the Hajjar, and they developed initial design specifications for the replacement. In October 2011, a capital warrant article for $700,000 for boiler replacement was funded at the Billerica Fall Town Meeting, with replacement for the boilers at the Hajjar School identified as the top priority for that funding. The project is expected to be bid in spring 2012 so that a contract can be awarded for construction in summer Massachusetts School Building Authority 10 Statement of Interest

11 Priority 5 Please provide a detailed explanation of the impact of the problem/issues described in Question 1 above on your district s educational program. Please include specific examples of how the problem prevents the district from delivering the educational program it is required to deliver and how students and/or teachers are directly affected by the problem identified. The boilers identified in Question 1 are the heating system for the building, and in the event of a boiler failure, the School would be non-operational until a heating system could be put in place. The current boilers are requiring extensive funding to maintain, and in addition are heating the school at a lower rate of efficiency than new equipment, leading to increase utility costs. High costs in both of these areas draw funds away from other high-pressure areas in the budget, particularly in staffing levels and in the availability of educational supplies and resources. Please also provide the following: Have the systems identified above been examined by an engineer or other trained building professional?: If "YES", please provide, the name of the individual and his/her professional affiliation:: Ken Beck, BLW Engineers The date of the inspection:: 7/20/2011 A summary of the findings:: The boilers are at risk of failure and are in need of either major repair or replacement. YES Massachusetts School Building Authority 11 Statement of Interest

12 Vote Vote of Municipal Governing Body YES: 4 NO: 0 Date: 1/9/2012 Vote of School Committee YES: 5 NO: 0 Date: 1/9/2012 Vote of Regional School Committee YES: NO: Date: Massachusetts School Building Authority 12 Statement of Interest

13 Required Form of Vote The following Form of Vote should be used by both the City Council/Board of Aldermen, Board of Selectmen/equivalent governing body AND the School Committee in voting to approve this Statement of Interest. If a regional school district, the regional school committee should use the following Form of Vote. Resolved: Having convened in an open meeting on, the [City Council/Board of Aldermen, Board of Selectmen/Equivalent Governing Body, School Committee] of [City/Town/School District], in accordance with its charter, by-laws, and ordinances, has voted to authorize the Superintendent to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the Statement of Interest dated for the [] located at [Address] which describes and explains the following deficiencies and the priority category(s) for which [Name of City/Town/District] may be invited to apply to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in the future [Insert a description of the priority(s) checked off on the Statement of Interest and a brief description of the deficiency described therein for each priority]; and hereby further specifically acknowledges that by submitting this Statement of Interest, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in no way guarantees the acceptance or the approval of an application, the awarding of a grant or any other funding commitment from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, or commits the [Name of City/Town/District] to filing an application for funding with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Massachusetts School Building Authority 13 Statement of Interest

14 CERTIFICATIONS The undersigned hereby certifies that, to the best of his/her knowledge, information and belief, the statements and information contained in this statement of Interest and attached hereto are true and accurate and that this Statement of Interest has been prepared under the direction of the district school committee and the undersigned is duly authorized to submit this Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The undersigned also hereby acknowledges and agrees to provide the Massachusetts School Building Authority, upon request by the Authority, any additional information relating to this Statement of Interest that may be required by the Authority. LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT/SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR (E.g., Mayor, Town Manager, Board of Selectmen) Chief Executive Officer School Committee Chair Superintendent of Schools (print name) (print name) (print name) (signature) (signature) (signature) Date Date Date Massachusetts School Building Authority 14 Statement of Interest