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Replacing old, adding new canopies on SHS campus among maintenance crew's biggest summer jobs
SIKESTON -- The Sikeston R-6 maintenance staff are taking advantage of empty school buildings and campuses this summer as they complete multiple projects throughout the district.
Mike Brown, R-6 director of building and grounds, said among the biggest projects he and his crew face is replacing old and adding new walkway canopies on the high school campus toward the Sikeston Field House and Math and Science Center.
"We've had to do a demolition of the old canopy tops and the screws were so rusted on them, we had to use a cutting tool to get them out," Brown said.
In addition, Brown said he and his staff endured extreme heat this summer.
"The heat came in early this year, and we've had a full month of 90-plus degrees every day," Brown said. "We've pushed on through it... We've tried to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks. We have so much to get done."
In addition to installing 1,300 feet of sloped-roof canopies on the high school campus, the maintenance workers also painted the interior of A building. This included classrooms and offices, Brown said. Workers also put a new suspended ceiling and replaced floor tile and carpet at A Building, he said.
All the tiers were removed in the band building and a single floor level was put down to make it more flexible for classes, Brown said, adding it was also an asbestos abatement job because asbestos were in the floor tile. As a result, new floor tile was laid and workers also painted, he said.
Later in the school year, new windows will be added to the band shell, he said.
Carpet was replaced at a couple rooms in G Building, according to Brown. Contractors added a new roof to a section of the Fifth and Sixth Grade building and replaced all the roofing of I Building and the band building.
The lighting system was replaced at the football stadium.
"Light standards were leaning and we had a safety concern there," Brown said. "We've replaced them and already turned them on and they're in place for the first game."
Re-plumbing of the boiler at the Junior High was completed, and a new parking area was added at Lee Hunter.
"We're in the process of getting access controls and cameras installed at the Fifth and Sixth Grade Center," Brown said. "Our goal was to do it before school started, but we won't make that."
The maintenance crew is also working on installing key-card access or buzzed entry and camera at the other schools, Brown said. Parts have been ordered and Brown is waiting for them to arrive.
"We've had lots of volunteers help," Brown said. "Some of staff at Lee Hunter and kindergarten painted their own classrooms. We furnished the paint for them."
Some members of the high school administration helped mulch around trees.
"I appreciate that immensely," Brown said.
Some rooms are switching places at Matthews Elementary, and the district's custodial staff is helping with that, he said. A new air filtration system was installed at the Sikeston Career and Technology Center's welding shop.
A chain-link fence was installed at Southeast Elementary through a program by Lowe's.
This summer is one of fewer projects than most years, Brown said. However, there are more bigger projects than usual, he added.
"The Board allowed me to hire five part-time workers for the summer, and that was a tremendous help. We would have been behind with our painting, weed-eating and helping with the yard work if we didn't have them," Brown said.
Brown said he has a full-time staff of 10 people.
"We try to keep our roofing, floor tiles and painting on a schedule, but that's pretty fluid," Brown said.
The focus on summer projects is usually placed where the need is the greatest, he said.
"The new canopies have been needed for a while and were pushed aside because of other needs that were greater. There were holes where rodents were getting inside and damaging cabling and fiber. We lost communications to a lot of equipment," Brown said.
This summer Brown's workers have also installed a new server room for technology.
For the complete story, see the Friday edition of the Standard Democrat.