This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Renovation Work at Two Schools Should Begin in Fall

Saltonstall and Collins Middle School will undergo renovation work to repair damaged roofs, improve energy efficiency.

Renovation work will begin in the fall to replace the roofs on two school buildings that have been plagued by leaks for many years, although it is unclear at this stage how much the projects will cost and when work can begin.

The repair work at the and the K-8 will also include replacement of the boilers, replacement of windows at Saltonstall and substantial masonry work on the crumbling facade of the Collins school.

Superintendent Dr. William Cameron said the Massachusetts School Building Authority will review the school district's proposals this summer, before the district can put the projects out to bid.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The funding won't be assured until July," Cameron said. "I anticipate work will start in the fall."

Cameron said vacating Saltonstall for the duration of the project is under "very serious consideration," in order to complete construction more quickly.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It could save the project a substantial amount of money," Cameron said. "We've looked at portables, but the cost is staggeringly expensive. We hope it will be cheaper to rent a building."

That won't be an option for the Collins school, which has many times more students and also houses the offices of the . 

The middle school has had "big problems," since the new wing of the building was added in 1992, Cameron said.

Scaffolding on two sides of the building has had to be maintained for safety purposes because of crumbling masonry.

Administrative offices in the basement of the old portion of the building will need to be relocated during construction.

"We can figure out how to move classrooms and offices around," Cameron said.

Only once the arhcitectural plans are approved by the MSBA can the district begin lining up contractors, which is why a start date is uncertain at this point, Cameron said.

The City will be reimbursed by the state at a rate of 78 percent.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?