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Mary Morrison early childhood center nears opening; water testing prompts fixture replacements and filtration planning
Summary
Renovations funded by a nearly spent $600,000 grant are largely complete and the district plans full‑day four‑year‑old classes at Mary Morrison; however, lead testing on two fixtures produced unsatisfactory results and staff plan to replace exposed fixtures and install filtration if necessary before full occupancy.
Board members were updated on progress at the Mary Morrison early childhood center on June 15, as staff described near‑completion of renovation work funded largely through a $600,000 grant and set out steps to address water‑testing concerns.
Shannon and Sam said the district has spent most of the grant on classroom furnishings, HVAC, painting and egress window replacements; staff reported that new windows to provide required second egress are scheduled to be installed before month’s end. Registration is underway and staff said they have had more than 200 families express interest; the new program will host full‑day four‑year‑old classrooms at Mary Morrison while three‑year‑old programming will remain half‑day at other sites.
However, routine lead testing returned results that staff described as "not satisfactory" in two fixtures (a nurse’s area and a classroom location). Sam said the district will replace visible fixtures and piping where accessible and retest; if replacement does not correct the readings the district will install point‑of‑use filtration systems and conduct ongoing monitoring. Staff also said they had ordered bubblers/bottle fillers for hallways as an interim measure.
Why it matters: The project expands early‑childhood capacity and shifts four‑year‑old programming to a full‑day model at Mary Morrison, a significant operational and enrollment change. At the same time, lead‑testing concerns for fixtures require immediate remediation given the age of the students and the program’s focus on younger children.
Next steps: Facilities staff will prioritize fixture replacement and retesting as soon as graduation tasks finish; the finance and facilities committee will tour the building in early July. If tests remain unsatisfactory, staff will install filtration systems and continue monitoring.
