Construction Update
Foothill Elementary School
May 2009
May 5, 2009
Dear Foothill Parents and Neighbors,
Thank you to all of you who responded to the recent request for feedback on the traffic loop and parking plan. The information you provided is helpful to us in deciding how to move forward. We have heard an equal balance of both support and opposition to the plan. The responses have been thoughtful and indicate how important this issue is to the community. We also have heard a spectrum of ideas and alternatives as well as the need to further process the ideas publicly.
Therefore, BVSD will host a public forum on May 19, 6:30 p.m. in the Foothill Elementary gym. The PTO meeting scheduled for that night will be rescheduled for Thursday, May 21. The district is currently working with the project architect and the traffic consultant to develop alternatives which incorporate some of the ideas we have heard from the community. We also have included in our conversations the City of Boulder and the district’s alternative transportation coordinator. The purpose of the meeting is to present and collect feedback on the alternative solutions. Approximately one week prior to the meeting, we will post on the Foothill Elementary Bond project website the alternatives and supporting information.
We realize this is still a short timeline. While we want to take time to hear more from the community and explore alternatives, we need to continue to move the process forward. If a construction alternative is selected, we need to be able to begin construction as soon as school is out in order to have it completed by the time students return in August.
We appreciate your feedback, your participation in the process and most importantly, your continued support of the students at Foothill Elementary.
Melisa Potes
Principal, Foothill Elementary
Don Orr
Executive Director of Bond Planning, Construction and Engineering
Chris King, Ph.D.
Superintendent, Boulder Valley School District
March 2009
This week we are pouring the concrete slab for the office and kindergarten areas. If you had a chance to see the big pumper truck it was pretty impressive. Steel will arrive next week and workers will begin erecting. Internal plumbing and electrical work is taking place, as well as renovations to the existing building and the construction of another new wing. I would like to thank Haselden for the added safety measures in place. There has been extra care to ensure that the traffic is stopped for students needing to move past the construction site, as well as a constant cleaning of the sidewalks to keep the rocks where they belong and minimize the tripping hazards.
January 2009
We are ready to show off Phase I and our new wing. Please join us for an Open House in the new wing on January 27th from 3:00 – 6:00pm .We are saving the ribbon cutting ceremony until the entire project is completed next fall however this is a great opportunity to see the Library, Literacy and future 3rd grade classrooms. We will also have updated drawings and details about Phase 2 & 3.
Phase 2 has begun with the demolition of a portion of the building. Parents, students and staff have found new ways to get in and around the building. Asbestos abatement is nearly complete. Next they will begin work on the foundation and utilities. Steel will arrive in the upcoming weeks to begin the build. Please remember that the new office entrance is on the west side of the school facing 9th street and the parking lots are for staff parking only. For the safety of the students they are not to be used for drop off or pick up.
December 2008
Phase 1 is complete ahead of schedule and we have received our temporary certificate of occupancy. Since Thanksgiving break the shelving has been installed in the library and next week the furniture is being delivered. We also moved the library this week including the psychologist, speech therapist and occupational therapists offices. On December 10th students attended an assembly about the completion of Phase 1 and what will be happening next with Phase 2, as well as some safety reminders. Students took a guided tour of the new wing with their teacher on Thursday or Friday. After winter break the new wing and library will be open.
Outside the fences have been moved back to allow access to the field and playground from Hawthorn. After winter break third grade will be lining up before school in different locations.
- Ms. Warshaw will line up on the blacktop next to Ms. Studholme’s class. Access to the blacktop from Hawthorn will be available on the east side around the new library.
- Ms. Van Scotter’s, Ms. Hoskins’ and Ms. Mentzel’s classes will line up near the portable at the 5th grade door.
- All other grades will continue to line up in the same locations.
We will be hosted a Kindergarten Only parent open house on December 15th from 3:00 – 4::00pm to orient kindergarten families with their new classrooms. Teachers were able to show off their temporary classrooms and from which exit doors they will be dismissing. On January 27th from 3:00 – 6:00pm we will hold an open house for the entire school. We are saving the ribbon cutting ceremony until the entire project is completed next fall.
The rest of December will be spent preparing the old library to become the temporary cafeteria. During winter break more moving will take place.
- Kindergarten and K-Care into their temporary spaces
- Literacy to it’s new space
- Cafeteria, custodian and YMCA before and after school care into the temporary cafeteria (in the old library)
- The office to the 4th grade pod
The construction team will also begin asbestos abatement over winter break in Phase 2 areas which include the small gym, the teachers lounge, the office and Kindergarten. In January asbestos abatement will continue after school hours until complete. Demolition will also begin in the Phase 2 area.
Other things to note: students will still line up for the busses on the front lawn, we will have several signs indicating the direction to the temporary office, and street parking west on Iris will likely be the closest visitor parking to the office. With 18 months of construction, the next 5 months are expected to be the most invasive as they will be working inside our building. However, the safety of the students and staff are a priority. We have made plans to separate the construction from the learning environment. We have created and shared with the students new routes to reach necessary areas of the school. The staff at Foothill and the construction team is confident that these measures will ensure your child/ren’s success throughout the year.
October 20, 2008
Have you driven by the school lately? The new wing looks like it is just about done from the outside. The windows went in last week giving it that “almost finished” appearance. Truth is we are getting close. This week the ceilings and floors were installed as well as paint on the walls. The cabinetry will be installed during the next 2 weeks. The goal for completing phase 1 is December and we are right on schedule. Please visit our website for recent photos of the work at http://bvsd.org/schools/foothill/Construction/Pages/ConstructionPictures.aspx.
During the month of December we expect to close the library so that it can be moved into the new space. The remainder of December and winter break will be spent putting on the finishing touches and moving people into new and temporary spaces. We will be preparing the old library to become the temporary cafeteria and house the YMCA before and after school care. Kindergarten will move into the new classrooms for the remainder of the school year. The office will move into a 4th grade classroom next to the Art room.
In January when school resumes the front of the building, Kindergarten and administration areas, will be under construction. The temporary building entrance will be in the middle of the parking lot near the Art room and the temporary office. All visitors, parents and students will need to use this entrance and check in with the office before going elsewhere in the building.
On another construction note, we have begun to work on our playground design. Our playground DAT team consists of a Para, teachers and parents. We have met 3 times so far and will continue our work until winter break. The playground renovations are expected to take place during the summer of 2009.
September 30, 2008
Dear Foothill Families,
Yesterday and today, there has been a noticeable odor in the first and second grade classrooms at the end of the hallway by the new building. This odor is due to the application of an acrylic floor in the bathrooms. These odors are unpleasant to smell and these fumes may cause temporary respiratory irritation for some students and staff.
To alleviate the odor and the possibility of uncomfortable irritation until the flooring installation is complete and dry; the bond construction team has increased ventilation by bringing in additional fresh air from the courtyard and ventilating air from this area away from the building. The team has also added an airtight barrier to the door between the current building and the new building. These measures will keep the odors from circulating in the rest of our building. The work has continued today and these measures have proved successful as no odor has been detected inside the building.
The team has also increased airflow and ventilation in the classrooms where the odor is noticeable. This work is expected to be completed by Thursday. As always, the safety and well-being of your child and our staff is my first priority. Please call me at 303.5443.1847 should you have any questions or need to discuss this issue further.
Sincerely,
Melisa Potes
Principal
August 18, 2008
Greetings Foothill Families,
Many of you have already been up at school for Fall Assessments and must be wondering how the construction project is going! I am happy to report that we are right on schedule and some aspects of the project are even a little ahead. The majority of the work continued on the new wing at the east end of the building. This week we will see a roof installed as well as the brick start to take shape. The interior is mostly framed in. Inside and around the building contractors prepared gas, water, electrical and data to connect to the new wing once it is ready. The new wing is expected to be open after winter break. The construction team has also installed sprinklers and new unit ventilators in the first and second grade hallway. We are looking forward to better air flow and heat this year! Our only bump this summer was the inability to keep water on the grass which resulted in new sod on the playing fields. We are excited to have new grass; however it will not be available for traffic (aka recess) for a couple of weeks after school starts. Given the choice of no field for a couple of weeks or dirt for a year…we chose to re-route recess. Students will have the green and tan play structure, the blacktop with basketball hoops and 4 square for recess outside as well as indoor recess and computer lab options. We expect to be able to access the field shortly after Labor Day. As always if you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 303.443.1847 or the project manager, David Jorschumb at 303.994.3179.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow (and on Wednesday for kindergarteners in the second half of the alphabet) !
Sincerely,
Melisa Potes
Principal
August 1, 2008
Beginning August 4, Haselden Construction will be conducting utility work in Hawthorn Avenue. The road will be reduced to one lane for the duration of the work. Notices will be given to all neighbors on Hawthorn informing them of what to expect. The utility work is scheduled to be completed by August 11, and the street will be returned to two lanes at that time.
July 2008
A lot has happened since our last up-date. If you have been by the school at all you can see that the foundations have been poured and the skeleton of the new addition is standing. This will hold our new Library, Literacy and 3rd grade classrooms. What you can't see are all the things that have happened inside the school and underground. Electrical upgrades have started and will be ongoing until the scheduled completion in July of 2009. The sprinkler system has been started as well as the heating and ventilation upgrades. These will also be ongoing for the next year. In the next month or so you will see the exterior shell of the new addition as well as the roofing and heating units on the roof. The storm sewer will be run to Two Mile Creek and the new new play pit will be roughed in with a completion scheduled for next summer.
So much has happened and we have a lot left to do. Next week we will have additional pictures on our webpage - be sure to check it out. http://bvsd.org/schools/foothill/Construction/Pages/ConstructionPictures.aspx Thank you for your continued patience and if you have any questions or concerns please contact Dave Jorschumb at 303.245.5790. The office will be open again on August 5th. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
May 12, 2008
This afternoon we will have a large concrete pump truck on site to pour the footings for the new wing. Over the next few weeks we expect to have quite a bit of concrete coming in as they lay the foundation. I am sure that our students will find the truck interesting. Please know we will be taking the standard safety measures to keep them at least 5 feet away from the fence. We do not expect any disruption in traffic other than when the truck arrives and leaves. Those who live near the construction site or are on campus will hear the added noise of the pump truck. As always, please call us at 303-443-1847 if you have any questions.
Construction Overview for April
Equipment has been staged onsite and fencing has been installed around the construction area. Excavation and foundation work for the addition will continue through April. Deliveries are expected throughout the day, however, not during drop off and pick up times.
What you need to know
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Parking |
Contractors will park inside the fenced area and away from the school as much as possible. However, as more contractors begin to work on site, parking will become less available. |
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Pick up/Drop off |
Pick up and drop off will continue on the south and west sides of the building. Consider meeting older students west of the building. Boulder Police will enforce the no parking in the pick up and drop off zone in front of the fence on Hawthorn Ave. |
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Traffic |
No disruptions expected. |
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Bike and pedestrian access |
Will remain open, please be aware of the additional traffic. |
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Deliveries |
Concrete delivery is expected during the next 2 weeks. |
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Utility disruption |
Utility work will take place during the next few weeks, however utilities remain live and no disruptions are expected. |
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Noise |
Heavy equipment, backing alarms. Work is not expected on the weekends. Boulder City noise ordinances does allow work to be completed from 7am to 11pm. Although crews are not expected to work until 11pm, back up alarms will be heard throughout the day. Noise and vibration can be felt from the digging and compacting work that is taking place. |
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Smells |
None expected. |
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Evacuation routes |
New evacuation routes are in place and have been practiced. These will be in effect until Phase II starts in January, 2009. |
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Daily routine/internal traffic patterns (lunch, recess, etc.) |
No changes expected.
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Safety |
We have communicated our concerns about the recent indecent exposure reports to the construction team. They will support us in watching for any suspicious people on or near the school grounds and will notify the proper authorities should they see anyone. |
Bond Construction Update 3-21-08
Please note the following safety considerations for Foothill students as our construction begins. You will also find a map and information on the reverse side of this page.
Children will be using different routes in and around school to get to lunch, and playground to ensure safety.
- Please consider using West Hawthorne Avenue past 9th street or on 9th Street as a drop off area for your older children during construction.
- Students can still be dropped off in the drop off zone, but his is not an ideal location during construction.
- Students, who normally walk around the East side of the building to meet parents or friends, or get to class, need to walk around the West side.
- Please note the FENCED CONSTRUCION AREA on the map on the back of this page. There will be NO access to the playground or fields from the front of the building during phase one.
- We will continue to provide families with updates as our Bond project progress.
The following information was presented to students today at the construction presentation prior to ground breaking. Please help us by reviewing this information regularly with your child(ren).
General Information
- Fencing will placed around the project to keep the work in and the students out.
- We will not be able to go to the playground or field from the front of the school, only through the building or around the back by 5th grade.
- We have new plans for:
- Where to line up before school
- How to get to and from recess & lunch
- How to get back to your class after lunch
- Where to exit after school
Safety Reminders
- Do not play near the construction or fences. Keep 5-10 feet away from the fence.
- Do not throw balls in the direction of the construction
- If a ball goes over the fence, do not ask a worker to get the ball. The workers, Project Manager, or custodians will get it later in the day.
- Do not talk to the workers, they have a job to get done!
- If you see anything that does not look safe, tell the recess teacher, your classroom teacher or Ms. Zahn.
Bond Construction Update – 03/14/08
We will soon kick off construction for improvements provided under the 2006 Bond Program, and I wanted to take a moment to let you and our students know what to expect in the coming months.
The generosity of Boulder Valley voters has provided us with a $9.5 million project that includes a 15,000-square foot addition which will include a new IMC, four new classrooms and literacy spaces. The project also includes renovations to the cafeteria, Kindergarten classrooms and administrative offices. Other bond work at the school will include IT infrastructure upgrades, playground improvements, upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems, restroom renovations and interior finishes improvements. A detailed description of the work to be done can be found on the Foothill page of the BVSD Bond website at http://bvsd.org/C14/2006%20Bond%20Project/School%20Pages/Foothill%20Elementary%20School.pdf.
Our project will begin this month and is anticipated to be complete in July 2009. The project has been planned to try to minimize disruption to students. The first phase of the project will take place from April – December this year and will be construction of the new addition off the southeast side of the building. This work is essentially isolated from the main building and every effort will be made not to interfere with student activities. Over winter break, the IMC will be moved into its new location in the new wing. The second phase of the project will take place from January – August 2009. This phase includes the demolition and reconstruction of cafeteria, administration and Kindergarten spaces. During this phase, Kindergarten classrooms will be temporarily moved into classrooms in the new wing. The cafeteria will be relocated to the old IMC and administration will be moved to a classroom. Most of the building wide improvements such as mechanical and electrical upgrades will be done in the summer when the building is unoccupied. When students return to school in August 2009, the cafeteria, Kindergarten and administration will all be moved back into their permanent spaces.
We are committed to communicating with you regularly during construction. I will be meeting weekly with the construction company and the project manger. I will update you as necessary about how construction activities will affect you and your student in the upcoming weeks. We also encourage you to visit the Boulder Valley School District website at www.bvsd.org for project details and up-to-date information on the entire Bond as well as what’s happening at Foothill. Click on the hard hat in the upper left hand corner of the district home page and then follow the “What’s Happening at Schools” link.
Safety and security for students and staff during construction is our top priority. Our message to students is, “Stay away and stay safe.” Faculty and staff will work to convey this to students. You can help by reinforcing this message at home. Prior to construction, our staff received safety training from the district’s Bond Safety Manager. The construction areas will be separated from the rest of the school by fences and/or construction walls that are clearly marked with warning signs. Workers will have separate foot traffic entrances/exits for the construction area. There will be no reason for faculty or students to interact with the workers. All workers who have completed a BVSD safety orientation and are authorized to be on site will have numbered project stickers on their hard hats.
You may already be aware, given the era in which our building was originally constructed; asbestos is present in certain areas. The district is currently investigating the extent to which asbestos is present of the building that will be renovated. Before construction can begin in these areas, these materials need to be removed. Any necessary asbestos abatement work will be done on evenings and weekends when the building is not occupied. All work will be conducted by qualified personnel according to EPA regulations.
If you have any questions regarding the Bond work, please contact the Project Manager, Dave Jorschumb at 303/245-5790, david.jorschumb@bvsd.org or Bond Support Coordinator, Melinda Moquin-Gomez at 303/447-5109, Melinda.moquin-gomez@bvsd.org.
Thank you for your continued support of Foothill Elementary School. We hope you share our excitement for the great changes happening at our school.