Without any discussion, Rim of the World school board trustees Nov. 17 unanimously approved spending $6.4 million for new construction projects, including a major modernization of Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School.

The majority of the work will start June 15, 2012, the day after school ends, with most projects being finished before school starts again in September.

The list of modernization projects was presented Nov. 3 to school board members at a workshop by the district's architectural consultants, PJHM Architects of Laguna Hills.

The list includes:

• $400,000 for an electrical service upgrade at Valley of Enchantment Elementary School.

• $250,000 for a renewable energy project at Rim High School.

• $536,000 for playground upgrades at Charles Hoffman Elementary School, Lake Arrowhead Elementary School and the Valley of Enchantment kindergarten area.

• $745,000 for repaving the play area at Charles Hoffman Elementary School.

•  $300,000 for bus garage modifications.

• $4.2 million to modernize Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School.

The work at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School will be so extensive that it won't be completed until sometime in 2013, and may require the use of portable classrooms to house some of the students. A major portion of the modernization will be installing a state-of-the-art fire alarm system.

The board's approval of the projects means planning and organization will soon begin.

In December there will be a contractors meeting hosted by Tilden-Coil Constructors, the district's construction management contractor.

"It will be a local outreach meeting to share with local contractors the scope of the projects," said Charlene Yarnall, principal with PJHM Architects. "The purpose of the meeting will be an outreach to local contractors who might be interested in bidding on any of the work."

After the local outreach meeting, a variety of projects will go out to bid.

Some projects will be open for bidding from roughly January to February, while the bidding window will be open January to March for others.

PJHM and Tilden-Coil will then take bids to the school board for approval sometime in March.

SOURCE:  Mountain-News.com