Sunnyside Unified hires H2 Group for facilities audit; roof survey flags several schools as near-term concerns

Sunnyside Unified School District officials received a facilities assessment update and a districtwide roof condition mapping on March 4 as outside consultants described near-complete field work and urged the board to use the findings to prioritize projects and plan a five-year capital improvement program.

The H2 Group consultants Paul Hartley and Jalal Abadis told the Governing Board their team has completed roughly 90% of on-site observations, photographing each school and cataloging issues ranging from missing fasteners and failing downspouts to cooling-tower scaling and abandoned rooftop equipment. "We are fairly far along with the actual field observations," Hartley said, noting that the firm is compiling photographs, cost estimates and a facilities condition index for each campus. Abadis said the district's classrooms, restrooms and many student-facing areas are "maintained well" but that a range of mechanical and exterior items still need attention.

Why it matters: the consulting reports are intended to produce the district's superintendent goal No. 5 — a five-year capital improvement plan. Board members and staff said the work will form the evidence base for School Facilities Board grant applications and, if the board chooses, a bond measure to fund larger repairs.

Key findings and near-term concerns

- Roof condition mapping: the district's contracted roofer produced a color-coded map showing expected remaining life in three bands: 0–5 years (red), 5–10 years (yellow) and acceptable condition (green). Schools that the presentation listed as in the 0–5 year category included Apollo, Drexel, Star and much of Sunnyside High School. Several other campuses were listed as yellow, meaning they will likely need work within five to ten years.

- Examples and site issues: consultants flagged missing bolts and corroded railings at Challenger, scaling on a cooling tower that could reduce performance, condensation or HVAC-related moisture under some ceilings, and abandoned or disconnected pumps and equipment on multiple roofs. The team said some problems traced to aging building stock (the main Sunnyside campus dates to the 1950s) and to specific storm damage in early 2023.

- Asbestos and hazardous materials: staff reported that asbestos testing and abatement have been used on some small classroom projects when materials were identified (Los Ranchitos was cited as an example where asbestos required abatement before repairs). Superintendent and facilities staff said the district follows required testing and abatement procedures when suspected materials are found.

Process, costs and next steps

Consultants described the next steps: complete roof walks, finalize documentation and produce an executive report that will include ballpark cost estimates by category (pavement, roofing, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and architectural). Hartley explained the team will prepare a facilities condition index (a 1–5 rating per system) to help prioritize work across schools. He said the cost figures will be "ballpark" estimates intended for planning and grant applications, not final construction contracts.

District staff and board members emphasized prioritization and safety. Facilities staff said emergency or safety items reported from principals — wasp/bee nests, soft spots or obvious structural concerns — are already being escalated. Board President Marcela Quintero and other trustees asked that safety items receive immediate attention and that the report be used to develop a public plan before any bond request.

Votes and formal actions

The board approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting; no separate motion to accept the H2 Group presentation was recorded. Staff said the H2 Group report and a subsequent roof-life report will be delivered to the superintendent, after which staff will bring prioritization recommendations and funding options to the board.

What consultants said, in their words

Paul Hartley (H2 Group): "We are fairly far along with the actual field observations."

Jalal Abadis (H2 Group): "I think overall that the schools are maintained well," but added that there are observable mechanical and exterior conditions that require attention.

Practical details and clarifications from the meeting

- Data collected: consultants said they have taken roughly 1,200–2,000 photographs per school and noted that walking an elementary school site equated to about 10 miles on a Fitbit; high school site surveys can be roughly 20 miles. - Scope: H2 Group's work is an independent facilities condition assessment, not a full code compliance or exhaustive historic compliance review. The consultants said they will note obvious code- or ADA-related items they encounter but are not performing a complete code audit. - Emergency response: Facilities staff said urgent safety items identified by the field team or by principals are already being addressed through existing work-order and emergency-response processes.

What to watch for

District staff said they expect the H2 Group's final report and the roofing contractor's year-end mapping to form the factual basis for prioritization, School Facilities Board grant applications and any discussion of a bond measure. Board members asked for clearer cost estimates, tax‑impact projections and a ranked priority list when staff returns with final materials to the Governing Board.