Monmouth Schools will delay opening until Thursday, September 1st due to trees and power lines that are still down throughout the town. This decision was made by the Superintendent of Schools in collaboration with the Monmouth Fire Chief and Monmouth Town Manager.
There will be no school in Monmouth Schools only on August 31st.
ALL MONMOUTH STUDENTS IN GRADES K-12 WILL ATTEND SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
Update: The RSU workshop day at Monmouth Academy instead will be Tuesday at Hall-Dale High School due to power outages. On Monday, staff should report to their regular schools or as directed by their principals.
Information in preparation for the 2011-2012 school year will come soon on KIDSRSU2 schools’ web sites.
For a copy of the KIDSRSU2 school calendar, visit:
http://www.kidsrsu.org/index.php/calendars/school_calendar_11_12
There are currently crews on site seven days a week. The project is progressing well as most of the duct work for the new ventilation is installed and all but a few of the rooftop units are set on the curbs on the roof. The associated plumbing and pump installation is now taking place in the boiler room. Fin tube radiation has been expanded in some of the classrooms for even heat distribution and user comfort. The new 2X2 ceilings are 80% complete. New energy efficient lighting is going up as ceiling grid is completed in the various spaces.
The new energy recovery units are not only more efficient but much smaller than the old multi-zone unit in the background.. They will supply tempered air to specific areas with specific needs and requirements. They will all be automated and scheduled for maximum efficiency.
Expanded fin tube radiation in some of the classrooms with northern exposure will address cold spots and provide heat more evenly than the old unit ventilators.
The hallways and classrooms will be much brighter and use less electricity with the upgraded T8 fixtures. Lighting will also be controlled with motion sensors to increase efficiency. The 2X2 ceilings look better and last longer and do not sag like the 2X4 tiles
During the process we found some deficiencies that had to be corrected as is always the case in projects of this size. There were some structural issues with the roof deck that have been repaired and brought up to code. We also used this opportunity to insulate pipes and roof drain pans and tighten up portions of the building that would not have been exposed otherwise. We want to capitalize on opportunities to conserve energy and increase user comfort.
We are also in the process of installing ADA bathroom with some special features in the special ed wing. This is a much needed addition. This space was at one time a small bathroom and storage room that was converted to a laundry facility.
Since the beginning of the RSU a number of the old carpets have been replaced with tile at Marcia Buker and Richmond Middle/High School. We are now at phase two of floor covering replacement at this facility which means approximately 7 classrooms will have the old carpets removed and new tile installed. The high school library will be re-carpeted.
Richmond Middle/High School will be a brighter, healthier, warmer place for students, staff and community use when we open in just a few weeks. My thanks to the contractors who are working well with RSU staff and for those in the Department of Buildings and Grounds who are working hard and are willing to do what it takes to see the project to completion.
Gordon Murray
Director of Buildings and Grounds
RSU #2
We are doing some major work at Richmond Middle/High School this summer and there will be some periodic updates from the Director of Buildings and Grounds for this work. The scope is a mechanical ventilation renovation.
Demolition of the ceilings and ductwork associated with the old ventilation system at the school are well under way. Some of the new ductwork has already been installed and the project is going very well.
The entire school is a construction site and is not being used this summer. There are contractors, facilities and IT staff working in every room in the building.
There will be multiple energy recovery units on the roof that will supply fresh tempered air to all of the spaces in the facility. These units will replace the 38 year old multi-zone ventilator and various unit ventilators in many of the classroom spaces.
1973 Multi-Zone Unit
This unit is very inefficient and not in compliance by current standards. Many of the parts for this unit are no longer available and down time is not an option when it comes to adequate fresh air in the learning spaces. Most of these units were designed for a 20 year life cycle and this one is well past its useful life.
Unit Ventilators 1973-1978 Vintage
These units were designed to supply plenty of fresh air to classrooms. They were never automated or set up for maximum efficiency and they required too much maintenance and repair. These particular units were very old, very inefficient and were again past expected life cycle.
The new system will be fully automated for both local control and remote access. The entire project is based on air quality but it has allowed for greater savings all around. While replacing the ceilings, some of the lighting that was not yet upgraded will be done in the summer and ready when students are back in school. This will include the upgrading of the remaining T-12 lights as well as installing motion sensors for increased efficiency. New ceilings and upgraded lighting will brighten up the building significantly and save dollars with rising energy cost.
The necessary changes will benefit students, staff and all community members who use the facility on a regular basis. The goal is safe and healthy atmosphere for all students in RSU #2.
Following is a list of voting sites and times for the June 7th RSU #2 Budget Validation Referendum. IF YOU CANNOT VOTE AT THIS TIME PLEASE PICK UP AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AT YOUR TOWN OFFICE TODAY.
Dresden: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Powalborough Hall
Farmingdale: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hall-Dale Middle School
Hallowell: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hall-Dale Elementary School
Monmouth: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cumston Hall
Richmond: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Richmond High School
Please show your support for your schools by voting to validate the RSU #2 budget. Thank you.
Reminder: The RSU #2 regional budget validation meeting is tonight at Richmond High School at 6 p.m. Please attend and support your school budget.
RSU_REGIONAL_BUDGET_MEETING_AGENDA_5.31.111.pdf
It’s great to see that our new DOE commissioner Steve Bowen embraces technology. He’s comfortable enough to use twitter, blog on Wordpress and savy enough to have registered a new domain name for the Maine DOE - mainedoenews.net - in order to write about his ideas and beliefs.
Here’s an article about the bills currently in Augusta regarding standards-based diplomas…
Setting high standards, and sticking to them