District shows summer construction results; board plans school-day building tours

District facilities director Mark reviewed summer construction work, showing before-and-after images of renovations at H.C. Storm, Rotolo Middle School and the high school library, and new kindergarten classrooms. He said most remaining tasks are minor punch-list items and a small number of tech and mechanical finishes slated for completion in the coming weeks. Mark said contractors have been working Saturdays to finish work and that lighting installs at the high school will be completed the week of the meeting. Trustees praised the work and thanked Mark’s team. They discussed ways for trustees to observe school operations during the day without disrupting instruction and asked administration to post a single, publicized date to conduct building tours while students are present. The district said it could post the tour as a board meeting notice under the Open Meetings Act, draft a schedule with principals and keep the timeline tight so the visit covers multiple buildings in one day. Administrators also said H.C. Storm’s music room received acoustic treatments the principal and music teacher described as effective at blocking cafeteria noise with the door closed. Rotolo’s learning resource center and the high school library had new furniture and updated lighting; administrators said students were already using the flexible seating. Mark also reported on the district’s activity buses: the board approved a lease buyout to purchase five activity buses for $116,615 after staff said lead times for new replacement buses are more than a year. The purchase was approved by roll call vote.