5/6 School Is On

Schedule, Reed Reports

By Tanjua Damon

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed reported to the Board of Education this week that things are on track in the design phase of the planned school for grades 5 and 6 to be located on a 22-acre site at the corner of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane.

Jeter Cook & Jepson (JCJ) are the architects for the 167,700 square foot school plan, while Strategic Building Solutions (SBS) manage the project.

Even the estimated $33 million cost of the new school continues to hold steady, according to Dr Reed. “In July, the board reduced things that were going to happen in the school. They reduced the size of the gym area and decided not to air condition that area,” Dr Reed said. “The rest of the school will have air conditioning. I still feel they are very much within that number, $33 million.”

The new school would be 148 gross square feet per student. Statistical data on new construction of public schools in Connecticut shows that to be 30 square feet less than the average for new middle schools in the state and 10 square feet more than the average for elementary schools. The planned 5/6 school is a hybrid school between elementary school and middle school, according to Dr Reed.

Data regarding new construction spending per gross square foot shows the 5/6 school would spend $204 per gross square footage compared to $214 at the middle school average and $247 at the elementary average.

“We’re not building any unusual size building, given it is for the fifth and sixth grade,” Dr Reed said. “It’s very much in line with other comparative data and paints a modest picture.”

The school board did ask the architects to look at the school’s entrance, Dr Reed said. The board would like to see it more emphasized. The school is one building, but looking from a distance may make it look like a cluster of buildings.

“I think it’s going to be an interesting school,” Dr Reed said. “The design process has been a thorough one. The cohesiveness becomes important.”

It was also reported that wood trusses would not be used at the 5/6 school because they wouldn’t save any money for the project, according to Dr Reed. Heavier metal trusses will be used as originally planned.

“I’m really pleased with the thoroughness of Strategic Building,” Dr Reed said. “They are very organized. They bring structure to the project.”

The timeline for the construction is all going according to plan; construction is scheduled to begin in June, and the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2002.

The plan is to send the project to the State Board of Education in mid-December. Also, the town needs to receive approval from the state to utilize the water and sewer connections of Fairfield Hills.

In other business, the board approved the change of insurance carriers Tuesday night from self insured to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Century Preferred Program. All three unions agreed that the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan would provide equal or better benefits than the self insurance plan. The new health benefits will change starting December 1.