On Tuesday, November 1, AE/MS and the Andover School Board hosted their first AE/MS Facility Tour and Building Project Informational Session. We are extraordinarily thankful that there was community interest and active participation; we realize how busy everyone is! For some, this was their initial “entrance” into this project.

Among the feedback and questions received that evening were comments relative to separating out various aspects of the project and identifying “essential” needs of the proposal. These questions prompted reflection among the administration and Board, which in turn has prompted this additional clarification about the history leading up to this moment.

The tours and informational sessions we are offering as a Board were preceded by an exhaustive Facilities Study commissioned in 2014. In that study, Marinace Architects, who was hired to research and write the study, identified and outlined a proposed solution to the various existing needs at AE/MS.

The suggested budget required to fulfill those needs totaled $5.46 million. Recognizing the vital need for a project of that magnitude to have community input, the Board’s next action was to impanel a Facilities Task Force of diverse members of the Andover community to delve into the study.

This Task Force met nine times throughout the 2015-2016 school year. These meetings were announced in advance and open to the public. Every aspect of the 2014 proposal was investigated and questioned. The ultimate goal of the Task Force was to recommend a prioritized list to the Board of the most appropriate and cost-effective way to move forward.

At the Andover School Board’s June 2016 meeting, the Task Force presented their recommendations and findings. These recommendations included significant reductions and deletions from the 2014 plan. Some highlights of these reductions/deletions:

• Removing the proposed 1,300-square-foot front entrance designed to accommodate new administrative offices (to include the school nurse office) along with a welcoming entrance vestibule with increased security
• Reducing the walk-in freezer footprint and scope
• Removing the proposed expanded art room
• Removing the proposed wood pellet heating system
• Removing a proposed 820-square-foot classroom addition on the back of the 1992 wing
• Removing proposed additional storage space (740 square feet) to be added to the back of the existing gymnasium
• Removing proposed bleachers (320 square feet) that would accommodate up to 100 spectators for events in the gymnasium
• Eliminating funds for improving indoor air quality and providing additional ventilation in the 1934 classrooms and gym
• Deleting all heat recovery ventilation in classrooms
• Removing funds for upgrading the exterior wall insulation in 1960 wing

These reductions and deletions led to a 34% decrease (from $5.46 million to $3.6 million) in the budget for this project. This new proposal represents the bare minimum, essential items necessary to update AE/MS, a building that has not had a significant update in a quarter of a century.

At the September 2016 Board meeting, the Andover School Board, acknowledging the collaborative and arduous work of the Task Force, officially voted to move forward with this $3.6 million project.

We are fortunate and thankful that we have skilled and dedicated teachers, staff, and administration who work with Andover students on a daily basis. We are also grateful for the continuing support of the community.

The Board is bringing forward this $3.6 million plan, and the hope is that the community understands that this plan has already been through a rigorous vetting and trimming process. There are no more aspects of this project that can be deleted or reduced if we wish to achieve the safety and security, system, and space upgrades necessary to provide our students with an appropriate educational environment.

This proposal is bolstered and underlined by some essential agreements and beliefs:

• Student safety and security is our primary concern.
• The AE/MS building has needs that must be addressed.
• System-level efficiencies will lead to ultimate cost-savings and future sustainability.
• Approaching this in a piecemeal fashion is not financially responsible or cost-effective.

Currently our students, community, and teachers are “making do” with some less than desirable circumstances:

• There is not an identifiable and secure front entrance which includes ADA access.
• AE/MS does not have security doors that limit access to certain parts of the building during public events (for example, voting and/or gymnasium events).
• There is the need to create atmospheric breaks via firewalls to augment student safety and aid in fire suppression.
• Many parts of AE/MS are not covered by sprinklers.
• Current heating, wiring, and lighting are not efficient and can be updated for safety and savings.
• Unique student services like Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy often take place in a closet or in the lobby of the gymnasium entrance.
• Individualized reading support occurs in the hallways or in the corner of the library while other classes are taking place.
• Special education services are relegated to the corners of existing classrooms, tables in the hallways, or in confined spaces of rooms that are serving too many functions to be effective.
• Students eat lunch on the school stage (which is also a passing area/hallway), surrounded by noisy coolers and refrigerators, next to classrooms, and connected to the gymnasium.
• Many classrooms are undersized according to New Hampshire Department of Education minimum standards.
• The school has little space for storage and items are now stored in hallways, in classrooms, and in various corners throughout the building.

The Board has used the phrase “Safety • Systems • Space” in an effort to effectively communicate this project and proposal. It should be noted, however, that these categories cannot be separated. Disentangling these would not result in any cost-savings.

Here is an example of why that is the case. Currently, AE/MS shares one main “atmosphere.” There are no fire barriers that break the air flow and aid in fire suppression. The students also eat lunch on the stage, and this presents an issue not only with space, but also impacts the delivery of education in certain classrooms and in various subjects.

These two problems are connected. The open area that serves as a hallway and entrance to two classrooms is also the same area that serves as the lunchroom. Creating an actual hallway (with floor-to-ceiling walls) will break the shared atmosphere, thus improving student safety.

With the new hallway in place, there still exists the need for a lunchroom. Additional space is required as a result. When this new space is created, adjacent classrooms (which are currently undersized) can be enlarged to meet state standards and better serve our students.

These new additions and remodels also compel us to bring any renovated spaces up to current code. As a result, sprinkler and fire suppression systems must be added.

The Board and administration have taken a deliberate, conservative, communicative, and measured approach in bringing this $3.6 million project to the voters. Our hope is that through our continued outreach and communication, voters will make their decision on this project feeling informed.

The next scheduled tour and information session is slated for Tuesday, December 6. The tour starts at 5 PM, the information session starts at 6 PM, and the Board meeting starts at 6:30 PM.

If you cannot make one of the scheduled tours and information sessions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Jane Slayton at AE/MS at 735-5494 for a tour. (It’s a great voyage when school is in session.) Continue to check the Beacon for articles and AEMSeagles.org for information.