Taking into account the design updates of the JHS | News, sports, work

From left: Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education President Paul Abbott and Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker discuss Tuesday’s business. PJ photo: Michael Zabrodsky

Renovations to the second floor of Jamestown High School are progressing well.

These were the words of Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker.

In August, JPS Director of Buildings, Grounds and Transportation Carl Pillittieri told board members that the district had projects underway at three buildings: Raymond J. Fashano Technological Academy, Milton J. Fletcher Elementary School and Jamestown High School. All projects are multi-stage.

Pillittieri said in August that crews from Technology Academy and Fletcher Elementary School were in the second phase of a two-phase summer school project, and crews from JHS were in the first phase of a three-phase summer school project.

Whitaker said many of the second-floor rooms at JHS have been upgraded and are currently in use, while other rooms are being repurposed for the upgrades.

“The passage from the old rooms was replaced with new ones,” Whitaker said.

Here is a summary of the three projects:

— The Technical Academy’s work included replacing windows, installing staircase balustrades, installing new floors, replacing the fire alarm, adding a backup generator, modernizing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and installing new furniture.

— At Fletcher, construction crews replaced 75% of the school’s roof, replaced steam boilers, replaced fans, replaced floors in the cafeteria hallway, cafeteria, kitchen and library, replaced rooftop units, added an HVAC chiller and added a backup generator unit. Crews will also work in 20 classrooms in the old wing – nine on the first floor and 11 on the second floor, replacing central fans with outdoor air dampers, installing four-pipe fans in classrooms to provide heating and air conditioning, installing convectors in to balance the heat in rooms and provide dehumidification as needed, installing structural steel and three new roof units, replacing HVAC ducts in hallways and classrooms, and replacing ceilings in hallways.

— At JHS, crews are replacing 50% of the roof, renovating the second floor, renovating the Information Services Department, renovating the reception and care area, smoothing and sealing the cafeteria floor, adding new furniture on the second floor, repairing the auditorium ceiling, and repairing pool gutter drains. The second-floor renovation, Pillittieri said, includes demolishing and remodeling classrooms, bathrooms and a lecture hall, installing ductwork in anticipation of new HVAC equipment, replacing floors, replacing ceilings and replacing cabinets.

“They finally handed over the pool to us from the construction team. The pool was in dire need of modernization,” Whitaker said. “We should have everything back online before the (boys) season starts in November.”

Board chairman Paul Abbott wanted to dispel any rumors that JPS was merely using the pool as an area for Storga.

“I choose not to discuss school district matters on social media,” Abbott said. “I felt it was important that Dr. Whitaker made it clear that he had no intention of changing anything in our swimming program. We just had to fix the pool which was quite old and it needed to be renovated.”

In other business, the board updated its Teachers on Special Assignments (TOSA) policy.

Whitaker said the update is generally consistent with the previous policy.

“We’re not doing some other kind of TOSA,” Whitaker said. “We do the same type of TOSA, but with different responsibilities. It’s more of an attempt to say, “There’s nothing here other than duty.”

Whitaker said TOSAs play a supportive role in some schools in the district.

“They have a special mandate to help teachers address (classroom) behavior, (classroom) management and school management issues,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker said TOSAs are one-year assignments and teachers can reapply every year.