Committee hears construction progress, major slab placement and safety updates at middle and Valley schools

Committee members on July 15 received detailed construction updates for the Middle Pike/middle-high and Valley Elementary projects, including milestone photos, schedule notes and a safety briefing.

Jerry Haas, middle school principal, reported that interior gypsum work and room mock-ups are imminent and that masonry is advancing on the middle school wing. He said a 19,000-square-foot final slab (placing roughly 300 yards of concrete) was completed yesterday and that windows are staged for installation once masonry allows. Haas described the site as “humming” with more than 250 workers on busy days and highlighted upcoming spray-on air-vapor barrier and roofing work.

On Valley Elementary, Haas said the project recorded one OSHA-recordable injury last week — a heat-related illness that required hospitalization; the worker has since returned to work. He said elevator shoring and foundation work are in progress; elevator submittals have been approved but the elevator itself is not scheduled for installation this year.

Committee members urged attention to protecting electronics and sensitive equipment in renovated buildings during construction and discussed staging, temporary power and traffic/parking plans during the summer move and staging schedule. Ed Collins (introduced in roll call) summarized furniture readiness for the new middle-high school and noted bids and renderings for Valley furniture and playground equipment will be released late summer or early fall.