Schools receive facilities assessment

School officials got a facilities report card last week. And while they earned passing marks for safety and comfort, they have room for improvement in terms of 21st century education expectations.
Last Thursday, the Orange County School Board held a work session to discuss current and future building needs. According to a system-wide school facility assessment, conducted by BCWH Architects, the school facilities within the county remain serviceable for the short term and do not present a concern for safety, comfort or warrant aggressive action. However, they could use some improvements to meet 21st century educational demands.
“In general, the facilities are well-maintained, kept clean and taken care of,“ BCWH Architects Principal Roger Richardson said. “However, it’s time to look at 21st century fixes.“
Richardson said with the exception of the middle schools, the facilities are more than 40 years old and have received no significant updates that affect the learning environment. Lightfoot Elementary School is the exception in terms of added space, but it focuses on physical education, not academics. According to the report, all of the elementary schools could use, at minimum, cosmetic updates and improved security and management measures. Plus, many of the facilities need to be updated for library services, administration, physical education and instructional areas to revitalize them from a functional standpoint.
An important part of the report also focused on enrollment projections. While Richardson said Orange County High School is one of the most efficiently operated facilities they’ve seen, it’s over populated.
“The high school is amazing,“ he said. “I am impressed with the efficiency. However, it’s popping. Something is going to have to be done.“
According to the report, Orange County High School is currently 110 percent over capacity. Over the next five years, it will reach 120 percent beyond its capacity. Should growth continue at the same pace it has been, there will be 1,829 students at the high school in 2013. Should growth slow down considerably, there will be 1,777. In 2008, there were 1,611 students at the high school. The report recommended additional classroom space and parking for the high school.
While the report also projected Locust Grove Elementary School and the current Locust Grove Middle School to exceed capacity, those expectations will be mitigated by construction of the new eastern Orange middle school expected to open in 2011.
Another school that presents a problem, for a whole different reason, is Gordon-Barbour Elementary School. The oldest of the schools, Gordon-Barbour has problems related to age. It needs electrical, lighting and plumbing upgrades as well as a library/media center expansion and a new gymnasium.
“The first thing we need to decide about Gordon-Barbour is what to do with it,“ District 3 School Board Member Judy Carter said. “It’s at the top of the list. All of the things it needs equals [approximately] $11 million. We built one of the new middle schools for that much.“
Orange Elementary School also needs some electrical and lighting upgrades as well as more handicap accessibility, something that isn’t an easy fix.
“It’s a challenge,“ director of facilities, Ann Bledsoe, said. “The piping would need to be moved. We already had a vendor come in. We will need the building inspector to come in as well. There is no funding source for it, so it will go on the capital improvement projects list as a fund request.“
Unionville Elementary also needs some improvements related to handicap accessibility, specifically in the stage area, music room and bathrooms. Plus, the school needs plumbing, electrical and kitchen upgrades, as well as a library/media center upgrade.
Lightfoot Elementary also needs a library/media center upgrade, as well as new windows and ceiling tiles. Plus, the school could use lighting, electrical and plumbing fixture upgrades.
The newer schools faired quite well during the assessment. Locust Grove Elementary needs only simple fixes like paving, drain piping and lighting upgrades. Prospect Heights and Locust Grove Middle Schools need electrical upgrades.
Currently, these projects, and others, are being evaluated to determine if they best fit on the capital improvement projects list for next year, are already in progress or can be funded some other way. The capital improvement project list is expected to be completed in November for review and public comment before being approved in January.
There has been talk of conducting a second phase of the school facilities assessment, which would give administrators a more in-depth look at what to do now that they know what’s wrong.
“The next step is what should we do and what do we need to do,“ school board chairman Jerry Bledsoe said. “The needs don’t change if not fixed. Facilities needs don’t change.“