BELLOWS FALLS-Even before summer vacation began, Bellows Falls Union High School (BFUHS) in Westminster had $9 million in major projects either already started or slated to begin during the long summer break.
As we come into the final weeks of summer break, how are the projects progressing?
BFUHS Principal Kelly O'Ryan and Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Andrew Haas discussed the list of projects, starting with a full renovation of the school's science wing.
The project is funded by $2 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER), made available to K-12 schools out of the 2020 Education Stabilization Act, enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These funds could be used, among other things, for investing in educational technology supporting science, engineering, technology, and math programs.
The renovation - two years in the planning - will totally gut the science wing of the school and replacing its current moveable partitions with permanent walls. New water, gas, and electrical lines will be installed for the labs.
The design includes chemistry, physics, and biology labs, along with an area that can be adapted by the school for a number of uses.
The remodel includes new furniture and cabinetry.
BFUHS's second major project is a new roof installed, and work began before the last school year ended in June. This is a $2 million project that is being locally bonded.
At the same time, $5 million in new roof-mounted HVAC equipment is being installed. This is also being funded through the ESSER act.
PCB remediation continues
The project that received the most public attention over the past year or more was finding polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in a few parts of the building. Early testing results at the beginning of the last school year have limited use of the school's auditorium and gymnasium at various times.
Two areas identified as "primary source" materials for PCBs included fire retardant on the expansion joint columns throughout the building and the paint sprayed on the roof decking in the gym.
Other primary sources were also identified in the fire retardant used in storage closets off the gym.
Haas said that with the support of the Department of Environmental Conservation and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., a consulting engineering firm based in Massachusetts with a local base in South Burlington, "we recently completed a pilot study to explore some remediation methods to address the fire retardant spray on some of the columns in the building, and the ability to remediate overspray of those materials onto the surrounding walls."
"The report is being finalized and will be shared at an upcoming School Board meeting," he said. "This work will inform how we proceed with remediation in the building."
VHB is in the process of developing a corrective action plan (CAP) that will need to be approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation, the BFUHS School Board, and the larger community.
The CAP will outline the steps that the administration will take to remediate the PCB sources, in compliance with state and federal requirements. The plan will initially address PCBs in the utility closets off the gym.
"We expect this proposal to be presented to the board and community for feedback by mid- to late August," Haas said. "and if approved, for the work to begin in early fall."
Haas and O'Ryan said that plans to address other remediation work beyond the gym utility closets, both of primary and secondary sources, are being finalized for review as well.
"We hope to begin addressing that work next summer," O'Ryan said, "starting with the roof decking on the gym."
The school has also recently completed work to update the auditorium, including new carpeting and painting of walls. New seating has been ordered and is expected to be installed in late September or early October.
Science wing remodeling
The Science Wing is on target to be completed by mid-fall 2024, Haas reported.
"The outer walls have been erected," he said. "The concrete slab had to be cut in places for new water, electrical, and gas. We expect to start our classes in those spaces in January, at the start of our second semester."
The final plan is for four classrooms: a chemistry lab, a biology lab, a physics/physical science lab, and a multi-use lab/classroom. New student lab stations are being installed as well as teacher prep areas and teacher demonstration areas.
Students have not had access to functioning lab stations for years.
"It will ensure our students are well prepared for post-secondary options, whatever they choose," O'Ryan said. "In addition, students will be exposed to state-of-the-art and hands-on learning in all areas of science."
New roof
Installation of a new roof over the academic portion of the school should be completed by the end of September.
Work has been complicated because of the identification of new sources of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), highly carcinogenic chemical compounds that were used liberally in building materials in the 20th century.
"We did have to pause work on the roof over the gym," Haas said, noting that work there will resume.
The HVAC project is on schedule to be completed soon. The units have arrived on site in preparation for being set and installed on the roof.
"We anticipate units will be operational prior to the start of school at the end of August, with adjustments being made during September," O'Ryan said.
"The exception is the section above the Science wing, which will be completed mid-fall as that space comes online," she added.
The school had been hoping to get its tennis courts repaired and resurfaced this summer, but the contractor's schedule has been delayed due to other projects and weather conditions.
Haas said that the contractor is hopeful that the project can be completed before cold weather sets in.
"These projects have been enormous and time-consuming," he said, praising O'Ryan and Jeff Potter, head of maintenance, for their work.
The two "have been pivotal in seeing these through," Haas said.
This News item by Robert F. Smith was written for The Commons.