Superintendent Arsenio Romero is making some much-needed security improvements to his buildings in New Mexico’s Los Lunas Public Schools.
He’s building security vestibules, renovating front offices and installing outdoor fencing, among other upgrades to schools that were built as long ago as the 1930s, Romero says.
“It was very difficult to know who was coming onto and leaving our campuses,” Romero says.
In some schools, a visitor walking in the front door could approach classrooms serving some of the youngest grades. The renovations put front offices and school resource officers between visitors and the children, Romero says.
But Romero, like most superintendents, doesn’t have the time or expertise to oversee extensive construction projects. His district has partnered with Gordian, which is managing every aspect of the security upgrades.
To provide guidance to other superintendents, Romero and Gordian will host a District Administration webinar on construction on April 28.
The webinar, “Summer Construction & Beyond: Prioritizing COVID-19 Safety and Stimulus Funding,” will also cover strategies for accelerating multiple capital projects, saving money and streamlining the procurement process, says Bill Symon, Gordian’s director of sales for SLED (state, local, and education government agencies) in the central U.S.
Many districts are currently performing renovations focused on preventing the spread of COVID, Symon says.
And most of these projects—such as HVAC upgrades, removal of carpets and other soft surfaces, and installation of touchless doors and drinking fountains—will continue to pay off even as COVID becomes less of a concern, Symon says.
“A lot of these technologies are going to reduce the spread of other illnesses and improve overall air quality in buildings,” Symon says. “They will also reduce energy consumption and cut down on the amount of chemical supplies used for cleaning.”
Parents are paying attention
The COVID relief bills have sent an influx of short-term funding to schools, so administrators need to plan to use it wisely, says Pete Gorman, District Administration’s superintendent-in-residence and moderator of the webinar.
“Parents are paying more attention to school facilities than they ever have before,” says Gorman, the former superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “Because of COVID, more people than ever are monitoring the health and safety of school buildings.”
A company such as Gordian better positions districts for successful construction projects that will assure the public that safety and security are priorities, he says.
“Districts don’t have the ability to employ all of the staff that they need to do this work,” Gorman says. “You don’t need these folks year-round—you can’t afford these folks year-round.”
Please register for the summer construction webinar.
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