Ask the Superintendent: Every kid, Every day, No excuses

by Chris Neale, Superintendent, Gasconade Co. R-I Schools

Last week I gave an overview of the facilities improvements related to the proposed bond issue. This is the first in a three part series to outline specifics for each campus.

"What improvements will be made to the elementary school with bond proceeds?"

Elementary School: Hermann Elementary School is a building built in approximately three phases. The first was in the mid-1950s, the second in the 1980s, and the last addition just a few years ago. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 changed the requirements for disabled access in public buildings. As you might expect, the oldest section of the building is in need of some repair and renovation. There are a couple of other areas that will receive some improvements as well.

The oldest section of the building primarily houses the first and second grade classrooms. We have altered our restrooms to allow disabled students easier access. The alterations resulted in fewer fixtures and consequently much longer restroom breaks. We intend to create a separate ADA accessible restroom and restore the original capacity of these facilities. We also need to replace the iron pipe plumbing to eliminate the rust problems.

In the hallway and classroom areas we will replace the tile flooring, worn out doors and hardware, and add electrical capacity. Recent findings from a safety audit indicate that teachers cannot quickly lock their doors during intruder events. We need to change that. Current electrical demands in classrooms are significantly different than 60 years ago. Proper removal and replacement of the floor tile, along with a coat of fresh paint, will improve appearances and provide a bright and attractive setting in which our youngest students learn.

Outside the building we have two areas to address. The preschool addition (from the mid 1980s) needs some tuckpointing and new gutters to preserve the integrity of the facility. Finally, we intend to replace the pea gravel and mulch under the playground equipment with a rubberized surface, improving safety and access to the equipment.

I believe our Facilities Committee and Elementary Staff have done a great job in identifying and prioritizing the issues we need to address on this campus. Our children and staff will do their best work when we provide them with the kind of school where we will grow our future.

I encourage our patrons to submit questions for future columns! Simply email me with your questions at  cneale@hermann.k12.mo.us. Submitters must sign their full name to be considered.