7000

FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT GOALS

A quality educational program can best function in an environment that is conducive to learning, supports and encourages excellence in teaching, and provides a safe and comfortable place for students and staff.

Accordingly, the Board of Education establishes the following goals for facilities development:

• developing a long-range planning and evaluation program;
• providing the necessary facilities needed to serve all students in the district;
• providing appropriate facilities and equipment that will best support and accommodate the needs of a quality educational program;
• designing and constructing all facilities with particular attention to safety, security, and appropriate lighting, heating, ventilation, acoustics, spatial factors and aesthetic appearance;
• planning for flexible and adaptable school spaces [through incorporation of features such as moveable walls and multi-purpose facilities, in order to best accommodate present and future needs for instructional areas;] and
• considering the adaptability of school facilities to community use.

Note : Policy added

The sample policy illustrated above provides a model of the types of facilities development goals that the Board may wish to consider. This list is not exhaustive; the Board may wish to add, delete, or modify items as appropriate to the needs of the district and constituency.

1 stReading10/22/02

2 nd Reading & Adoption 11/26/02

 FACILITIES PLANNING

The Board of Education is ultimately responsible for the regular operation and orderly development of the school district's physical plant. In carrying out this responsibility, the Board is concerned with both short-term and long-range planning.

The Board delegates to the Superintendent of Schools the responsibility for formulating and implementing, subject to approval by the Board, a long-range facilities development plan that will serve as a guide for capital improvements and enable the district to provide the appropriate facilities to meet the educational needs of the students.

Pursuant to the plan, the Superintendent shall:

• continually monitor and evaluate changes in the curriculum, enrollment trends and patterns within the school district, the availability of construction funds, and other relevant factors and periodically recommend appropriate modifications to the plan;
• annually evaluate the status of all school buildings and grounds in order to ensure that an atmosphere conducive to quality education is maintained; and
• conduct an annual assessment of equipment, facilities, and maintenance practices to ensure that district schools are operated in a manner that meets the present and future needs of the educational mission of the district.

The district will also prepare a five-year capital assets preservation plan and update such plan annually. The plan will be prepared in a manner and in a format prescribed by the Commissioner of Education and copies of the plan will be submitted to the Commissioner upon request. The plan will include, but not be limited to:

1. a breakdown for each of the five years of the plan of the estimated expenses for the following:

a. current or proposed new construction;

b. current or proposed additions to school facilities;

c. current or proposed alterations or reconstruction of school facilities;

d. major repairs;

2. a district-wide capital assets inventory in keeping with GASB 34 requirements.

3. a report on the condition of each school facility and a specific preservation plan for each school facility according to State regulations.7100

1 st Reading 10/22/02

2 nd Reading & Adoption 11/26/02

 CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, BIDDING AND AWARDS

 All construction contracts in excess of $20,000 and purchases of equipment at a cost in excess of $10,000 must be advertised, bid on and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with the district's policy and procedures for competitive bidding. No school building may be erected, purchased, repaired, enlarged or remodeled at an expense which will exceed $100,000, nor may an advertisement for bids for the execution of the plans and specifications for a school building be placed, until the plans and specifications have been submitted to and approved by the Commissioner of Education. Such plans and specifications will show in detail the ventilation, heating and lighting of such buildings. Construction documents that have been modified subsequent to the Commissioner's approval may not be advertised for bid until the Commissioner has approved such modifications. The successful contractor will enter into a formal contract, prepared by the school attorney, detailing all aspects of the construction to take place.

Every district contract for construction, alteration or repair of any public building or public works, or for the manufacture, sale or distribution of material, equipment or supplies shall contain provisions prohibiting discrimination on account of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, age or sex.

All contractors to whom a contract has been awarded must provide a performance bond obtained through a bonding company licensed to do business in New York State . The required amount of such bond shall be included in the Statement of General Conditions set forth in the advertisement or notice for bids.

Contractors are required to provide adequate certificates of insurance, as per the contractual requirement, naming the school district, officers and employees as an additional insured on these policies.

All contractors shall guarantee that prevailing rates of wage, as provided for in the Labor Law §220, shall be paid to all workers on public projects in the school district.

Cross-ref : 6720, Bidding Requirements

Ref : Education Law §§408; 2556

General Municipal Law §§101; 103; 103-d; 106; 108; 109

Labor Law §§220; 220-e; 222; 222-a

1 st Reading 11/26/02

2 nd Reading & Adoption 12/17/02

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

 The Board of Education recognizes the district’s responsibility to provide a safe school environment for students and staff during construction and maintenance projects.

The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for ensuring that district procedures for safeguarding the safety and health of students and staff are consistent with state law and regulation, including the Uniform Code of Public School Building Inspections, Safety Rating and Monitoring and the Uniform Safety Standards for School Construction and Maintenance Projects. Specifically, the Superintendent shall be responsible for the following items at the specified phase of the construction project:

Pre-Construction

1. Ensuring proper planning for the safety of building occupants during construction or maintenance activities.

2. Hiring a New York state licensed architect or engineer for projects costing more than $10,000

3. Ensuring safety issues are addressed for bid specifications and contract documents.

4. Providing notice to parents, staff and the community in advance of any construction project costing $10,000 or more to be conducted in an occupied school building. The notice is to be given at least two months prior to date on which construction is to begin, except in the case of emergency construction projects, in which case notice will be given as soon as practical. The notice will provide information on the district’s obligation to provide a safe school environment during construction projects. The notice may be given by publication in the district newsletter, direct mailings, or by holding a public hearing on the project.

5. Revising the district’s emergency management plan, when appropriate, to accommodate the construction process including a revised emergency exit plan and emergency evacuation and relocation procedures during the construction process.

 During Construction

1. Monitoring of construction and maintenance activities, on a scheduled basis, to check for safety violations and to ensure that certificate of occupancy requirements are continuously maintained.

2. Ensuring that all areas to be disturbed through renovation or demolition are tested for lead and asbestos.

3. Investigating and responding to health and safety complaints.

4. Conducting fire drills during construction to familiarize students and staff with revised emergency procedures.

5. Ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements regarding noise abatement, exits, ventilation, air quality, fire and hazard prevention, chemical fumes, gases and other contaminants, asbestos abatement and lead paint and radon testing and mitigation.

Post Construction

1. Conducting a walk-through inspection with the architect and/or construction manager and Assistant Superintendent for Business to confirm the area is ready to be reopened for use.

Cross-Ref. : 7100 Facilities Planning

7331, Plans, Specifications and Cost Estimates

8100, Safety Program

8110, School Building Safety

8112, Health and Safety Committee

8130, Emergency Plans

8132, Fire Drills

Ref .: Education Law §§409-d ( Comprehensive Public School Building Safety Program; 409-e (Uniform Code of Public School Buildings Inspection, Safety Rating and Monitoring)

8 NYCRR Part 155.4 (Uniform Code of Public School Building Inspections, Safety Rating and Monitoring); 155. 5 (Uniform Safety Standards for School Construction and Maintenance Projects)

9 NYCRR Parts 600-1250 (Uniform Fire Prevention & Building Code)

1 st Reading 4/29/03

2 nd Reading & Adoption 5/27/03