Schools get an upgrade during break

‘Big Red,’ a purple beech that became an abiding symbol of tradition and dignity at Bloomfield High School, is scheduled for removal Aug. 7.

The Bloomfield School District has been busy this summer and many improvements and changes will be in place when schools open, according to Jeannine Hanna, the supervisor of buildings and grounds.

At the high school, the roof will be partially replaced and 10 air conditioning units will be installed. The gym floor will be stripped, waxed and polished — an annual occurrence for all classrooms, too, and the theater stage will be painted.

At the middle school, the bathrooms will be power washed.

“If the fixtures are old,” Hanna said, “we replace them. In one bathroom, the fixtures were from 1959.”

The bathrooms will be power washed, too. The sidewalk near the baseball field will be repaired and a staff bathroom will be updated.

“These fixtures were also from ‘59,” Hanna noted.

Berkeley Elementary is getting all new windows. The originals were still in place. Heating and air conditioning units will be updated. In fact, all the schools are slated to become air conditioned. Thanks to a state grant, Hanna said the AC installations are possible with the district paying 60 percent and the state picking up the balance. But at Berkeley, there was an AC snafu.

“When we called in PSE&G, they walked around the entire neighborhood and there weren’t enough electric poles,” Hanna said. “We’re going to draw the electricity from a transformer underground. It’s going to be connected to a transformer that will be on the front lawn and fenced in. This installation will probably be next June.”

At Oak View, she said a new telephone pole will be installed for the AC electricity.

“Oak View and Brookdale are getting transformers,” Hanna continued. “So will Demarest. All the schools are getting them because all schools will be getting HVAC — heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Now, it’s just heat. Berkeley will also have vinyl composite tile flooring installed on the third floor hallway.”

Hanna has been at her post since Feb. 1. She said she is the first female to hold the position. Her prior district job was as administrative assistant to the director of student achievement. She has worked for a New York City construction company, trained to become a project manager and attended Rutgers University for two years to become a certified educational facilities manager.

Brookdale also had new windows installed.

“They’re done,” she said. “They’re beautiful. And we reseeded the soccer field in June.”

At Carteret, the HVAC will be done by September because the work was started sooner, she said. The nurse’s bathroom was upgraded. This work was done by the school’s maintenance crew. Hanna said the district has about 60 maintenance and custodial employees.

A boiler at Demarest is being replaced as are the windows.

“They have three boilers,” Hanna said. “That’s how big the school is.”

She said the district window bids went out at different times. Consequently, there are several vendors doing the work. Forest Glen, Brookdale, Berkeley and Watsessing windows are being replaced by the same vendor as are Oak View and Demarest windows. Fairview and Franklin windows have not gone out to bid yet.

“The prices are increasing,” Hanna noted.

At Fairview, there was an upgrade to a kindergarten bathroom. The school’s stage was refinished.

“Most of the schools are having that done,” Hanna said.

Also at Forest Glen, a new play area has been installed.

“We’re putting up fencing so the children can’t be seen from the Parkway,” Hanna said. “The HVAC and window installations are already completed. They were the first ones.”

Also at Franklin, the outside boardwalk to the modular classrooms is being repaired and a covered French drain was installed in the library. The retaining wall outside Watsessing Elementary was rebuilt.

Last and not least, among the additions and subtractions this summer, is one especially noteworthy. “Big Red,” a purple beech that has been on the high school lawn since 1919 was scheduled to be removed this week.