Two major mechanical projects at Great Bend High School and Great Bend Middle School were approved Monday by the USD 428 Board of Education. Together, replacing the boiler at GBHS and the HVAC on the northwest wing of GBMS will cost about $750,000. Assistant Superintendent John Popp said the work will be done this summer.
He presented a proposal from Innovative Groups, based in Wichita. Project procurement will be via the Purchasing Cooperative of America (PCA) buying consortium, of which USD 428 is a member.
The boiler project starts with demolition and removal of the existing water heater, to be replaced with two high-efficient water heaters and hot water recirculation piping. The base bid is $149,850.
The heating, air conditioning and ventilation project at GBMS starts with a base bid of $467,806 for demolition and removal of the existing air handler and installation of a new rooftop unit. Added to that is $143,668 for new ceilings and lights in the classroom wing.
Popp said the existing boiler is “a very old boiler that provides hot water to every shower and every faucet in almost all of Great Bend High School.”
“Back in the day, that included a massive storage tank of water to keep hot,” he said. It will be replaced with two smaller boilers, which is more efficient. It’s also safer because the water is kept hotter, preventing things like Legionnaires disease “that is known to breed in these massive pots of water.” He added, “We’ve not had anything like that ... but it is a risk you run with the older massive boilers.”
The HVAC to be replaced at GBMS is for the 300 hallway and the rooms in that area. It's had 25-plus years in operation, Popp said. “In today’s standards, it’s a pretty inefficient system, and it has also been breaking down.”
The add-on to the project takes into account that the new system will “completely change how the ducting and everything works,” Popp said. After work in the ceiling, the ceiling could be matched back in as a patchwork job, or this work could be done. Adding high-efficiency lighting is something that should be done anyway and should pay for itself in about 10 years. Adding a brand new ceiling grid will be more attractive and make it easier to work up there.
“We’d like to ask for approval for all of these tonight,” he said. “This is a big total, just around $750,000, but it’s within the scope of what we can afford to get some of these major projects out of the way.”
Superintendent Khris Thexton mentioned that the library is in that part of the building. The project should eliminate constant noise from the fan that at present has to run continuously to keep fresh air moving in.
Programs of study
Next year’s Program of Studies for Great Bend Middle School, as well as Great Bend High School and the GBHS Career Technical Education (CTE) classes, were approved Monday by the school board.
These, along with curriculum adoptions, were presented as “first readings” so the board could take a month to consider them, but board members were satisfied with the presentations and approved them without waiting for a “second reading” in February.
GBMS Principal Myron Ellegood described a couple of new electives that will be available to eighth graders, Creative Writing and Forensic Science. A previously discontinued elective, Introduction to Graphic Design, will be reinstated.
GBHS Principal Brock Funke said there were several course description updates and wording changes but the biggest change is that the Program of Studies has a new format that is easier to read. One new course is called Contemporary Math and another is called Lifetime Fitness. CTE has added two internships with businesses outside of the school and a U.S. History class will be available as a dual credit through Barton Community College.
Funke praised Barton for the opportunities it provides to GBHS students, who can complete certificates in Welding, Plumbing, Construction Technology, and Ag Mechanics-Top Tech as long as they can work the program into their high school schedule.
Other purchases
The board approved new classroom materials for public speaking, debate and curriculum courses as presented by instructor Kim Heath, at a cost of $6,527.40. The board also approved curriculum materials for English language learners: an estimated $11,000 annually for Rosetta Stone for PreK-grade 12; $5,494 one-time expense for Ready, Set, Go! curriculum for grades 3-6; and $9,607.50 one-time expense for Lift (published by National Geographic) for grades 7-12. The curriculum team researching English Language Arts materials for grades 7-12 received permission to do two pilot programs this fall for potential recommendations.
Also approved was the purchase of 1,100 Acer C736 Chromebooks, Google for Education licenses and protective cases, for a total cost of $358,600. Computers and Chromebooks are replaced on a rotating schedule, Superintendent Thexton said. Usually, this purchase would come to the board later in the year but he said the order needs to be placed early because a 20% cost increase is possible with additional tariffs.
The board also approved the purchase of 26 compound microscopes for the high school science department. Federal funds will be used for the $12,746.50 purchase.
Personnel
In other business, two teachers are leaving the district at the end of the school year. The board approved the retirement of Barbara Thoren, who teaches fourth grade at Eisenhower Elementary, and the resignation of Nicole Taylor, who teaches math at Great Bend Middle School.
