Alberton schools undergo repairs

ALBERTON – School officials in Alberton have been busy over the summer making improvements to both the elementary and high school and while the enhancements may go unnoticed by busy students, Superintendent Clay Acker said he hopes the staff will appreciate them.

Already completed on the district’s to-do list was to replace a retaining wall on the outside of the elementary school as well as an exit on the eastern side of the high school. Acker said the last thing to do before students return for the school year is to replace the roof surface on the elementary school.

Acker said all the renovations were intended to not only make the school a more comfortable place for students and faculty, but to also make facilities more energy efficient.

“The school board decided we needed to start working on maintaining things,” Acker said. “We had a tax levy and the voters approved an amount of money. The latest thing is to use white material instead of black. They say it keeps the building cooler and the material doesn’t degrade as much over time.”

The material the contractor is using is called thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and is one element of the next generation of advanced, energy efficient roofing materials. According to the Firestone Building Products website, TOP is “among the fastest growing commercial roofing products” on the market and “have gained broad industry acceptance for their many performance and installation advantages.”

Firestone is just one company manufacturing the material. The website also stated. “TPO single-ply roofing membranes continue to provide exceptional resistance to ultraviolet, ozone and chemical exposure.”

Acker said the work is part of an ongoing effort to upgrade aspects of the two schools to provide a more comfortable and safe environment for everyone that attends or works at the schools. He said the improvements are just the beginning of the work that needs to be done.

“We will also be replacing the roofs on the other school at some point and replacing the heating systems at the schools,” Acker said. “The (heating) controls don’t work very well and so now it’s time to do something.”

According to Acker, the community has stepped up to help the school pay for the necessary improvements. He said when the schools asked for financial help in providing a safe and comfortable environment for the students and faculty, the residents of Alberton voted yes.

“We asked the voters to approve the money toward a building reserve fund which is used to do major projects at schools,” Acker said. “We asked the voters for $50,000 every year for five years and it was approved. After the roof is in we will start on the first heating project.”

Acker said the money left over from this year and some of next year’s money will go to replace the heating system starting with the one in the gym. Acker said the roofing work would be done this week, before students step through the door for the 2014 to 2015 school year.