Buildings are more than Brick & Mortar

One month into the school year and there are already many things to be proud of. As a parent of a Jamestown student I am sure you share this pride. You are sending your children to 2 commended schools, the top elementary school in the state and one of the

top middle schools. Jamestown teachers are the most dedicated and caring teachers with whom I have worked. They value our schools, our students, and the partnerships with our families. They attend state and nationally recognized conferences to bring the

most current, research based and innovative instruction into the classrooms. Our families and community partners share our vision to support high-quality education to our students. The support we receive from our community to bring these engaging,

innovative programs to our schools exceeds my expectation. We are building partnerships with families and community members that focus on student success. I am very thankful for your support and the value you have for your schools.

Recently the Rhode Island Department of Education conducted a facilities assessment in all the state schools. Jamestown School Department received its own facility study, which will be used to drive decisions on how we ensure our school

buildings continue to provide opportunities for student learning in healthy, safe environments. As Mr. Anderson, Director of Buildings and Grounds, stated, "Jamestown has been good stewards for the past 25 years, but some of the components are coming to an end of their useful lives." We are at a time when we need to consider building repairs before we have major problems with our roofs and HVAC systems.

We are fortunate that at this time we are able to apply for funding for building construction projects with the RI Department of Education to receive reimbursements (30%) back to the town on eligible projects. We have defined a School Building

Committee, which is required by RIDE to lead in the building projects by prioritizing and making decisions as to what repairs are necessary. The Jacobs Report from the state has an estimated cost of 16 million dollars in repairs for both schools. However, what

you need to understand is that these recommendations are prioritized in 5 categories (see figure 1). Our School Building Committee is concentrating on the priority 1 and 2 deficiencies as well as the school building roofs. The final cost for these projects is not known at this time, but eligible projects may be partially reimbursed by the state.

Figure 1: RIDE Facility Deficiency Priority Levels

 Priority 1 - Mission Critical Concerns: Deficiencies or conditions that may directly affect the school’s ability to remain open or deliver the educational curriculum.  These deficiencies typically relate to building safety code compliance, severely damaged or failing building components, and other items that require near-term correction. An example of a Priority 1 deficiency is a fire alarm system replacement.

Priority 2 - Indirect Impact to Educational Mission: Items that may progress to a Priority 1 item if not addressed in the near term.  Examples of Priority 2 deficiencies include inadequate roofing that could cause deterioration of integral building systems and conditions affecting building envelopes, such as roof and window replacements.

Priority 3 - Short-Term Conditions: Deficiencies that are necessary to the school’s mission but may not require immediate attention. These items should be considered necessary improvements required to maximize facility efficiency and usefulness.  Examples of Priority 3 items include site improvements and plumbing deficiencies.

Priority 4 - Long-Term Requirements: Items or systems that may be considered improvements to the instructional environment.  The improvements may be aesthetic or provide greater functionality.  Examples include cabinets, finishes, paving, removal of abandoned equipment, and educational accommodations associated with special programs.

Priority 5 - Enhancements: Deficiencies aesthetic in nature or considered enhancements.  Typical deficiencies in this priority include repainting, replacing carpet, improved signage or other improvements to the facility environment.

During this process we contracted with The Robinson Green Beretta Corporation to provide architectural and engineering services to confirm and validate the necessary repairs that are needed for both Melrose and Lawn schools.

I want our community to be reassured that we are only going to recommend construction repairs that are supported by data, knowledge from experts in the field, and aligned with the priority in keeping our students, staff and community safe in our school

buildings. We are proud of the work that is being produced in our schools, by our students, staff, families and community partners. We want to continue celebrating and growing extraordinary students who will one day be the leaders in this Jamestown Community. Today's Jamestown schools' students will be the future of our Town.

I am proud to be the Superintendent of these amazing schools.

Dr. Duva

For more information on the RIDE Facility reports go to the Facility, Data Information

page at the following link.

http://www.ride.ri.gov/FundingFinance/SchooIBuildingAuthority.aspx.

The submitted Stage I application for the School Construction is available at the link below.

http://jsd-ri.schoolloop.com/facilities