TSD1 receives funding for high school renovations as middle school work wraps up TMS expected to open for 2021-2022 school year -…

Trinidad School District No. 1 has received approval by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to receive funds through a BEST grant to make improvements at Trinidad High School beginning in the summer of 2022.

TSD1 received $3.6 million in Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant funding from the States education department with a local match of $1.8 million which is intended to fund health, safety and ventilation upgrades at the high school.

The upgrades over there need to happen, said TSD1 facilities manager Jeff Roybal on why the district applied for a BEST grant for THS.

The building, built in 1972, has a number of deficiencies including its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, notable ventilation issues with the science lab and wood shop, external security and plumbing issues to name a few, according to a grant application sent on behalf of the district to CDE for the 2021-2022 grant cycle.

Once the HVAC upgrades at the high school occur each school in the district will have air-conditioning.

Construction, with a total budget of $5.4 million, is not expected to impact student learning and could start as early as spring 2022.

Our plan is that we dont affect the learning, Roybal said. So even if it takes a couple of summers I guess, thats what were going to do.

Although we have historically struggled to keep pace with the compounding effects of deferred maintenance of our ageing facilities (alongside a majority of our fellow Colorado K-12 Public School Districts), the last three years have shown our ability to slowly change our mindset from reactive to proactive capital outlay, the district wrote in a June release.

As the district prepares for a new renovation, its renovations of Trinidad Middle School are wrapping to a close.

Were way past our due date but things are getting done, said Travis Aragon, foreman on the TMS project.

The project was originally scheduled to be completed by January 2021, but a member of the district forecasted with much optimism that the Park Street wing of the school could be open for classes by September 8, 2020, according to a July 2020 release from the district.

Now, seven months past deadline, the project is expected to be completed in time for the 2021 school year. Roybal has already started moving some furniture and other equipment over to the more completed rooms.

The project had a number of hiccups including material delays and mistakes made by subcontractors that needed to be fixed. The costs of these mistakes are expected to be covered by the general contractor.

Stuffs getting done the way it should be getting done, Aragon said. You know, youre dealing with a 1911 building here so you open a can of worms everywhere you go.

Despite the challenges, the building now has upgraded technology, HVAC improvements, increased security, a new administrative wing, newer restrooms along with finishing touches such as a paint job and new carpeting. Outside, a number of changes occurred including new mortar on the bricks to increase their stability, new curb and gutters and a new traffic pattern for buses and cars during student pick up.

This place here was a good sound building but we didnt have air-conditioning, Roybal said. So, if we wanted to start school early, it was like 90 degrees in these classrooms.

Now, each classrooms A/C can be turned off, saving money for the district when its not needed. Roybal said it was too early to tell how much could be saved, because there is not data to compare it to as of yet.

Technology upgrades include an updated PA system, improved HVAC system and ceiling mounted projectors.

At the front entrance, a new locked foyer will stop guests from entering the school and having access to the entire building without having an administrator buzz them in.

Safety was a big thing for this on how to keep people out of the building, so thats why we designed it this way, Roybal said.

He said that the teachers and staff are excited to make their home at Park Street.

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TSD1 receives funding for high school renovations as middle school work wraps up TMS expected to open for 2021-2022 school year -...