NORTH CRAWFORD - The $4.5 million referendum-approved, taxpayer funded project to make needed major repairs or upgrades to the North Crawford School District building and grounds is in progress. At their meeting on Feb. 15, the school board approved a total of $3,659,266 in bids for projects approved by the board.

Those projects, referred to as ‘Phase One’ projects include:

• Re-roofing the building

• Exterior window replacement

• Exterior upper wall replacement

• Bathroom additions

• Shower renovations

• Upper level window replacement

• Repaving the north, west and south parking lots with concrete

The decision to replace the upper windows at the same time as the lower windows was made to maximize efficiency, and avoid wear and tear on the new roof if the windows were to be replaced at a later date.

“In the course of assessing the base of the parking lots in preparation for bidding that project out, we ended up actually getting a bid for the project,” the Kramer Construction representative said. “When the bid came in, I was shocked to see that for only $19,146, the repaving could be upgraded from asphalt to concrete.”

In addition, an additional $260,000 in bids was approved for additional work, referred to as ‘Phase Two’ projects:

•  Childcare renovations

• Courtyard drainage and concrete path

• North parking lot drainage

• Northeast playground drainage

• Updating theater stage rigging

The decision to undertake the drainage issues had to do with efficiency. The courtyard and north parking lot drainage issues need to be completed while the parking lots are torn up for resurfacing, and it is more efficient and cost effective to have all the excavating work needed for the various projects done at the same time versus having the contractor coming on multiple occasions.

The decision to replace theater rigging arose out of a presentation by Playhouse Coordintor Joe Ferrito and his technical director. They revealed that the rigging was not adequate to safely accomplish the suspension of theater lights, among other Playhouse issues like aging curtains and lights.

After all these projects approved by the board are accounted for, that leaves an additional $580,734 for any remaining projects the board may approve at a future meeting. Projects still under consideration include:

• New flooring in hallways and common areas

• Greenhouse addition for Ag Program

• Theater storage

• Library renovations

• Elementary classroom new cabinets, countertops, and sink

While some of the costs of proposed projects are already well understood, others require more investigation by the district’s contracted professionals before the board can make decisions.

One item to be investigated is the per-square-foot cost of flooring replacement, so that the board can decide what if any areas of flooring they might choose to have replaced. There is broad agreement that Middle School flooring is a priority, but in other areas of the building, they might want to replace only portions – for instance the commons, cafeteria and in front of the performance center.

Another area requiring more investigation is the proposed greenhouse for agricultural education. Initially proposed was a 2,000-square-foot (30’x40’) greenhouse addition, with an estimated price of $430,000. The board has asked Kramer Construction to investigate what a smaller size greenhouse would cost, and also what the cost reduction would be with a gravel versus a poured concrete floor.

More work is also needed to refine the proposals for theater storage and library renovations.

Contractors hired

Contractors whose bids were approved by the board include:

• Block Iron - doors and frames

• Floor360 – flooring

• Protective Coatings - epoxy flooring

• Hall Ceilings – ceilings

• LaCrosse Glass – windows

• Zander Solutions - air and vapor

• Luther Webber – painting

• MUZA Sheet Metal - metal wall panel

• Showen Company - excavation

• Milis Flatwork - concrete paving

• Zimmerman Plumbingplumbing

• Winona Heating – HVAC

• McCormick Electric – electrical

In other business

In other business, the board:

• heard that 20 students and 11 staff are participating in a tutoring program funded by a $250,000 grant

• heard that the district has been awarded a $70,000 grant to provide enrichment to older students, with possible uses of additional supplies for the Outdoor Adventure Club, STEM materials, family engagement opportunities and a fifth grade trip to Upham Woods

• heard that Amy Anderson and Elementary Principal Amanda Killeen have just submitted a grant application to fund the Beyond the Bell Program for the next five years

• heard that Middle School/High School Principal Robert Sailer was close to creation of the perfect bell schedule and class schedule for the next school year, and that the goal is to make a schedule that will not need to be changed every year

• approved Brittney Salmon as a volunteer to chaperone the spring break band trip in March

• approved a two-night field trip for the Drone Team to compete in the Spacejam2 Drone Competition at the Fiserv Stadium in Milwaukee, and then attend a Milwaukee Bucks game

• approved the district’s Achievement Gap Reduction semester report

• approved a complete slate of returning spring athletic coaches including Ben Kandler as baseball head coach, with Adam Anderson as assistant; Jim Chellevold as softball head coach, with Amy Byl as assistant; Andy Watters as high school head track coach, with Liz Bransky, Grace Roth and Caleb Jacobus as assistants; and Canisius Johnson and Brian Steyer as middle school track coaches