Clayton School Improvements Ramping Up

The Clayton School District will soon see increased construction at its three elementary schools and early childhood center (The Family Center). Site work and construction of additions began on January 15. At last night's Clayton Board of Education meeting, the Board selected shell and core package contractors.*

The Trivers Associates-designed additions and renovations are the result of the District's successful $51-million, April 2009 bond issue. "The driving force behind the work that Trivers did for us was upgrading our science labs ... to support our new elementary science curriculum, which we put in place last year. We hired dedicated science specialists at each of our elementary schools," Clayton School District Chief Communications Officer Chris Tennill said. "A logical next step was to develop the necessary classroom space and the lab space to support those teachers. It also gave us the opportunity to look at any other facility needs, updates or upgrades that we needed to do at each of our elementary schools."

Additions to the District's elementary schools will contain a new science laboratory, classrooms, conference rooms and support spaces. Two of the schools also will have expanded lunchrooms. The Family Center will gain two new early childhood classrooms and a larger room for gross motor play. Interior renovations will include some classroom reconfigurations, new restrooms, new fire stairs and upgrades to heating, ventilating and air conditioning, and electrical systems. The elementary schools also will get new sprinkler systems to provide full-school protection.

Site work includes landscape and drainage improvements and parking modifications. Work also includes accessibility improvements and enhancements that provide for greater pedestrian safety for building access. S.M. Wilson is the Construction Manager.

Trivers' designs for the additions to the three oldest schools, first built in 1929, 1938 and 1953 respectively, complement the schools' significant historic character. The additions will be compatible in scale, form and material with these existing historic school structures. Construction work will proceed primarily on the additions and site work until the school year is over in late May; after which the interior renovations will begin.

The estimated total construction cost for work at all four facilities is approximately $13 million.

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