By Amber Cox, Staff Writer
CHESTERFIELD Another school update and some resolutions and change orders were passed at the school board meeting on Oct. 20.
Jerry Velazquez, Hill International project manager, made a short presentation in front of the board and audience giving further details about the progress of the new three-story building.
”On the lower floor the construction is 99 percent complete,” he said. “All finishes have been completed including installation of flooring, ceiling tiles, case work and doors. Painting is complete. We are starting up the HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) equipment on that floor. As of (Wednesday) the school district and our professionals have started to punch out the floor which is the tail end of construction.”
The second, or main floor, of the school is also nearing completion. The gym flooring has been installed and striping on the floor began. The multipurpose room, home to the cafeteria and stage, is almost complete. Stage lighting is going up and the space has been completely painted. The kitchen is also 99 percent complete.
”On the third floor we have classroom finishes that are nearing completion, including installation of ceiling grid, case work and lighting,” Mr. Velazquez said. “The bulk of the remaining work to be finished upstairs is the corridor which involved the installation of the ceiling grid in the corridor and lights.”
Installation of those items was set to begin earlier this week.
The baseball field has been completed and playground equipment was installed. Topsoil is being spread over the majority of the site and landscaping began. The base for the playground should be going down this week and postponed because of rain last week.
”The solar panel area, which is on the roof, is about 80 percent complete,” Mr. Velazquez said. “Everything but one bay of the panels needs to be installed and final electrical connections need to be completed.”
Plain pavers for the entrance of the building are being installed but a committee was formed to discuss the purchase of inscribed pavers later on.
School board President Brian Meincke went over a list of change orders that were recommended for approval to the board. Among them were additional asphalt sidewalks for around the playground area, basketball court remediation to check the compaction rate on the soil behind the court and backfill of the existing pond with stone to make way for the multipurpose field. All change orders were approved by the board.
The board also passed a resolution authorizing making emergency purchases to repair damage done by a fire during school construction.
The fire took place on the roof in early May and was the cause of the many delays for the building’s opening date. After the fire the roof was removed and completely replaced and the third floor suffered water damage after efforts to put the fire out.

