District Adopts Bond Implementation Plan

The school board unanimously approved a conceptual implementation plan for the Measure J bond at its meeting Thursday night.

That plan, crafted by bond program manager Swinerton Management & Consulting, includes replacing and elementary schools and replacing 20 portable classrooms at with a new academic building.

The plan also includes renovating and adding science labs at select schools and replacing a total of 44 portable classrooms district-wide.

Board members said they still had unanswered questions and concerns about the plan, but approved it with the understanding that it would be regularly amended throughout the life of the bond.

“We look at it as a living document,” said Jeff Gee, vice president at Swinerton. “As things come up and opportunities arrive, we listen to the community for changes and priorities.”

A key issue for the board was renovations at . Swinerton’s plan allocated a relatively small amount, $1.7 million, that could be used for a science lab or replacing portable classrooms. Gee said this was because the board still hasn’t clarified its intentions for Parkway.

“Parkway needs to be changed,” said Board President Maurice Goodman. “It’s not just a classroom that’s going to change the school. The whole layout needs to be changed. We went to the voters and said there’s going to be major work at five different sites, and Parkway was one of them.”

Goodman requested that Swinerton look for ways to replace the Parkway site through savings in other areas.

“We will shoot for the moon,” Gee said.

Goodman and other board members further requested that Swinerton do study in the following areas:

• Can deferred maintenance funds be used for certain projects to free up bond dollars?
• Would there be any savings in building two one-story buildings at South San Francisco High School rather than one two-story building?
• Do building standards require a new elevator at Spruce Elementary School?
• Is there an alternative to installing water fountains in school cafeterias?
• Can better facilities for art and dance classes at South San Francisco High School be provided?
• Can separate boys and girls bathrooms be provided in the Martin Elementary School kindergarten area?

Adopting the plan frees the district up to establish a pool of potential architectural firms and bring in outside consultants as needed.