By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT–Most Westport families have June 22 circled on their calendars as the first full week of summer vacation.

For district school officials, particularly the facilities department, that date signals the kick off of a host of capital improvement projects.

“As the board knows, it’s a very, very far-reaching capital plan,” Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice told the board at their May 7 meeting held at Staples High School.

Beyond the construction of a new Long Lots Elementary School, the project list includes:

• 10 mechanical design projects, half at Staples High School. LAN Associates are addressing Staples projects; LFG, Inc. the other five.
• installation of a personal distress safety system at Staples. 
• a renovated Staples auditorium
• installation of wireless access points on the Staples field
• designs for a partial roof replacement at Greens Farms School
• design work to renovate science labs at Bedford middle School
• replacement of the retractable door in the Saugatuck Elementary School that now no longer retracts.
• district-wide façade work and painting which began during April break.
• work on the Greens Farms School audio system.

John Koplas, a senior project manager at Colliers Project Leaders, the district’s project consultant for capital projects, gave the board an update on all of it.

In most cases, project designs or construction itself is gearing up.

Before the meeting, some board members toured the hollowed-out Staples auditorium stage which is set to get more than $3 million of new rigging, lighting and sound improvements by the fall.

Work began April 13 and most of demolition is complete, with old rigging and lighting removed from the stage. Seating areas in some parts of the auditorium have been removed to accommodate the spider lifts that will be brought in to access the ceilings.

“It looks great,” Board Vice Chair Dorie Hordon remarked, referring to how far along the project looks.

“So far, so good,” Koplas said.

Some of the other capital projects also took advantage of the district’s spring break as did 102 inhouse projects completed by the district’s facilities team, according to Elio Longo, the district’s chief financial officer.

The installation of a panic button system at Staples also began when the contractor came on site a week ago to scope out places to put equipment and where to run lines. He also met with police. Construction will begin when school lets out and will be completed by mid-September, in time for the district to take advantage of a state grant to cover part of the cost.

A contract to design wireless access points on the Staples playing fields has been awarded to Leighton & Alex.  

Silver Petrucelli, the designer for the partial replacement of the Greens Farms Elementary School roof and exhaust fan replacement, has been out to survey the job. The actual replacement is expected in the summer of 2027.

Making its way through the bid process is the Greens Farms School sound system in the all-purpose room. Four bids have been received, according to Koplas, and are being accessed.

Silver Petrucelli is also in charge of design work underway at Bedford Middle School, where eight science classrooms and labs are to be upgraded with new flooring, tables, desks, workstations, cabinets and equipment. Construction on that too, will take place in a year.

The replacement of the retractable gym divider at Saugatuck Elementary School, meanwhile, can’t wait another year. The current door finally broke this year and has been left in the open position. A new one should be installed in early July. The gym will be off limits during that time.

“It’s a lot of work,” said Scarice, promising a fresh list of projects to go through the town funding approval process in the fall.

What about a team room for female athletes at Staples High School, district officials were asked.

This year the Representative Town Meeting approved funding for the design and planning for a dedicated girls’ team room. It is expected construction will begin next summer.

Hordon asked if the board and public would get a chance for feedback on the plan before it is finalized.

Scarice said feedback from coaches and team captains is already being incorporated into the design drafted by Cerrone Architects.

“We need to talk about it at the board level,” agreed Board Chair Lee Goldstein.

The design now, build later approach is something that Goldstein and Scarice said helps the district and town plan and prioritize needs.

While design work on most of this summer’s projects total a little over $200,000, construction costs are projected at above $3 million.

Linda Conner Lambeck

^{_{Linda Conner Lambeck covers education for Westport Journal. She was a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications. She has covered education throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties. She is a proud member of the Education Writers Association.}}