New Bloomfield school board updated on bond projects

The New Bloomfield R-3 School Board approved an architectural contract with Porter, Berendzen & Associate at its meeting Thursday. The Columbia architecture firm will work with the district as it completes projects outlined in its recently approved bond issue.

In April, New Bloomfield voters approved a $2 million no-tax increase bond issue for the school district. The bond issue will address facility repairs, notably parking lot repairs and new heating and cooling systems.

Superintendent David Tramel highlighted the contract's specifics Thursday night. For a maximum fee of seven percent of a project's cost, the architect will bid out facility repair packages, guide the board through the bidding process, oversee the project and handle billing and paperwork.

Tramel also updated the board on a slew of other items related to the outlined facility repairs. He said engineers were in the district this week conducting core samples of the parking lots. The core samples will show how strong the base is and if an overlay can be done to the parking lot rather than a complete overhaul. An overlay would be less expensive, allowing the district to complete more items on the wish list associated with the bond issue.

Even if the base is strong, Tramel said the parking lot repairs still have to include a remedy for the water drainage. Those issues could require the district to rip up the lot regardless of how strong the base is.

Also related to the bond issue, the district started advertising for the HVAC replacement project Thursday, Tramel told the board, noting the district recently had a couple more HVAC units quit.

Depending on when bids come in and what progress other items have, the board could have a special meeting in the next few weeks to approve items.

In other news, Assistant Middle and High School Principal Susan Dudley told the board the school will most likely change the math curriculum next year. In response to math test scores, she said the school's math department started looking at the order in which its students take math classes.

Currently, students take algebra I, then geometry followed by algebra II. She said other districts have been changing their course offerings to have students take the algebra classes back to back before taking geometry.

Ten students who just completed algebra I have agreed to take algebra II next year while the rest of their grade level takes geometry. Those 10 students and their parents agreed to be a test class for the district before changes are made to the math program next year.

Dudley said the math department teachers will further discuss the change next January after the class of 10 students has completed one semester of algebra II. Then they will begin informing students and parents and making the appropriate curriculum and schedule changes.

"It makes sense," Dudley told the board of the change. "I think it will be a good change."

Additionally, Dudley said the school's literacy committee made some changes as well. Next year, the literacy program will include more writing in classes and will increase the required number of books students read during the year.