State of the School // Part IV: Paddle Raiser Project 2019

by: Sister Dominic

April 2019

 

Dear Families of SVDP Parish and School,

In this report, I am sharing the information about the Paddle Raiser Project identified for this year’s Kentucky Derby Gala on May 4th.  You will see much of this information again in the gala catalog and on the night of the Gala.  Thank you to the gala co-chairs who have helped to push these decisions along, to Dave Davia and Mark Liley who have worked with me and with bidding companies to determine feasibility of costs and planning, and to members of our School Advisory Council who support the process with ongoing dialogue and approval.

Paddle Raiser//The Case for Support

 

The spirit of the Paddle Raiser honors the work of those who have gone before us and have set up the school with care, intentionality, good stewardship, and a longview vision for the future.  As we stand in the breach of yesterday and tomorrow, we ask for support today to continue the tradition of stewardship at SVDP School by investing in projects that maintain and improve our facilities and our programming for our children today, and for our grandchildren tomorrow.

 

It will be part of a strategic plan in the coming year to streamline the process for projects and paddle raisers in the future.  I personally like to hear the ideas of the gala co-chairs, and believe that their ideas should be considered seriously as they are investing immense amounts of time and energy into the success of the gala, which is the context for raising money for the Paddle Raiser.  It is also important to take input from our maintenance team as they steward a 90+ year old building, as well as from teachers, who are always the backbone of the school, and by far, the most important and impactful factor in the school’s success and the students’ academic formation.

 

In all candor the Paddle Raiser brainstorm began last Spring BBQ.   Very soon after Courtney Ranson and Julie Wright had accepted the positions of gala co-chairs, they suggested to me a renovation of the upper playground.  Thus, one year not yet ended, another had already begun!  The three-tiered structure of this year’s Paddle Raiser project allows us to identify a significant school need (Tier 1), a wise investment that enriches instruction and touches on all K-8 student experience (Tier 2), and the beginning a major project that can roll out over multiple years (Tier 3).

 

 

Tier 1//Gym Ceiling and Light Repair and Replacement $45,000

 

Those who teach in the gym, or who have coached volleyball or basketball, have experienced the constant fall of dust particles from the ceiling, specifically from the tiles.  (n.b. These were tested for asbestos last summer and no asbestos was found.) The acoustic quality tiles themselves, which adhere with a simple glue, have begun to fall in whole pieces.  This has given the game of dodgeball a whole new element of challenge for our PE classes! The dust also harms the finish on the floor and requires it to be cleaned and swept multiple times daily or within a set of athletic practices.  We would like to move past the band-aid approach toward a long-term solution.  This involves removing the tiles, cleaning the ceiling, and adding an acoustic quality replacement finish.  While we have the equipment for this work, we plan to resolve any lighting issues as well.  For example, some of the protective cages for the lights are broken, which means that if a ball hits the light and causes it to break, glass could shatter and fall on the gym floor or on any students in the vicinity.  Also planned for this project, if it can be included within the projected cost, is a refinish of the bleachers.  The SVDP gym bleachers are custom made for the narrow space where they fit.  While they cannot be replaced, they could be given a fresh look.

 

We are still receiving bids on the work for the ceiling, but have received at least one bid in the above-mentioned range.

 

Note on the gym floor: I’ve been asked about our gym floor.  First, because the ceiling dust damages the gym floor, it needs to be addressed first.  The gym floor comes with good news and bad news.  The bad news is that the current floor cannot withstand another sanding to make it look fresh and new.  The boards are down to their minimum thickness.  However, the good news is the that the sealant on the floor is strong, and if it is maintained, the floor can last for many more years.  The only reason to address the gym floor in the near future would be for aesthetic purposes.

 

 

 

Tier 2//Library Investment: $15,000

 

The library is a central resource and educational support to every child in the building. Over the past two years we have more intentionally developed the selection for our older readers and filled out the selection for our younger readers.  All classes benefit from the library in a very systematic and regular way, but it is also a place for young learners to realize their individual gifts, their own affinities and strengths.  Many children are drawn to the library week after week to devour books, to talk with the librarian, and to satiate curiosity on subjects to be found in books.  We have invested in the library over the past several years, primarily by staffing a highly qualified and motivated librarian who has continuously developed a vision for our student readers.  We would like to support continued growth of this central educational resource with the following investments, amounting to an estimated total of $15,000:

 

• Checkout Station: $750
  1. Establish a self checkout station which could be used during library class time and also to enable students to check out books while the librarian is teaching another class. Currently, if students want to check out a book while the librarian is teaching, they place it on her desk with their name, and when she is able to check it out to them (within a day or so) they can come back and pick it up.  We like the use of technology for efficiency and the alleviation of the administrative task of the librarian.
• Purchase a designated computer and scanner
• Purchase a stand/station
• Develop a library card system
• Furniture & Seating: $6,000
  1. Self-select seating for students who need sensory input or movement. Seats cost up to $250 each, and we would like to purchase 4-5 seats.
  2. Durable library lounge furniture for young readers. We purchased bean bags with some of the money raised through the Scholastic book fairs.  While they are popular and comfortable, they do not stand up against the test of time when 400 bodies are plopping on them each week.  We are looking for more durable, but still child-friendly seating.  Something like modular lounge seating affords flexible arrangement and could support partner conversations for book discussions, such as our youngest readers learn and practice in the spring.
• Designated library printer: $500
  1. Students in the upper grades use the library as two parts of their rotation for Language Arts every week. Students are regularly working on revisions and publication of written essays.  Since the library has acquired repurposed laptop computers, a printer would enable students to more easily publish their work within this class period.
• Library Circulation Desk: $2,000
  1. The current setup is logistically inconvenient. A circulation desk at a lower height allows even young children to address the librarian face to face with appropriate human interaction, which cultivates good conversation about choices of literature.  An investment in a small circulation desk would afford greater convenience for both librarian and readers.
• The Collection: Upwards of $6,000
  1. Our AVERAGE copyright of the reference section is 1968!!!!!! We would like to update these texts.
  2. Readers satiate curiosity on a host of topics that can be found in high interest nonfiction books. This, we know, is a weakness in our collection, largely due to the fact that these are the more expensive books.  A good personal interest nonfiction book can cost $50, $150, or even more.  In addition to already knowing where some of our content weaknesses are, we will also survey the children to gather input so that we can build out our collection in ways that directly impact the needs and interests of our students.

 

 

Tier 3//Initial Stages of Playground Renovation $47,577

 

Our playground is an excellent and well-laid-out space of equipment and field for free play.   The current playset was set in 1994* and has a 20+ year lifespan. We have invested time and expense to make the small repairs in order to keep the playground maintained and safe.  Bolts and screws have been replaced, slides repaired, and the ground surface patched to meet safety standards.  There are elements of the playground that can use immediate attention, and some that will need attention within the next few years.  We propose the following as Tier 3 of the 2019 Paddle Raiser:

 

1. Swingset replacement – adds capacity for swings (same location) $34,077
   1. Resurfacing same sized area $19, 077
   2. Replacing straight line swingset of 8 swings and adding four-seater swing $15,000e
2. Sports Area $4,500
   1. Replace four basketball backboards/nets $1,596
   2. Add lower basketball backboard / net for younger athletes ~$900
   3. Re-stripe concrete
   4. Remove 2-3 unused poles
3. Replace benches ($9,000)
4. A look ahead toward full playground renovation: ~$200,000
   1. Turf replacement $20,000-$60,000 repair or replace, respectively
   2. New playset >$100,000
   3. Replace pour-in-place (PIP) ground surface $33,314
   4. General labor and site preparation ~$15,000

*Please note that this information is a correction of something posted several weeks ago in the Facilities State of the School Report, which stated that the playground was set in 2003-2004. The 2004 date was given by a company who was bidding the playground project for this year.  She shared that their company, and she herself, was involved in the building of the playground last time, and dated the equipment to 2003-4.  However, she was not responsible for the main playset, as I assumed within the context of our conversation, but only the sports area and some amenities.  Meanwhile, after publishing the last portion of the State of the School Report on Facilities, an alum came upon the published information and has shared that he was here in first grade when the actual playground set was put in place in 1994.  He remembers it vividly, and we have access to archives and minutes from meetings when the playground was being planned and funded.  I am very sorry for the original mis-information.  Interestingly enough, if I had not published it, we may still not know the actual date of the playground.  This makes the replacement of the current playground set a more proximate priority than was at first considered.

Look next time for the final wrap up