Letter to Parents and Staff

June 5, 2002

Dear Chávez Families and Staff,

I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and relaxing summer. As you know we will provide regular updates to you during the summer. This is the final update for the school year.

According to Rick Hopke, MMSD Coordinator of Facilities Engineering, Bachmann Construction Company, Inc. (BCCI) has been on site at Chávez since early May. Highlights of the work thus far include:

Repairs to the steel stud wall systems and ceiling grids in the Kindergarten areas.
Gypsum board and insulation has been installed on all walls on the first floor. Crews spent the last week taping the joints. Paint crews are scheduled to begin painting these walls today. The work in the lower area has passed required electrical inspections.
Paint crews have been priming the gypsum board behind the lockers prior to reinstallation.
As part of the demolition work, the lower two (2) inches of all gypsum board walls were removed to prevent moisture from entering in the future. BCCI is repairing these areas on the lower level with a cement-type board product prior to reinstallation of the finish rubber base.
Gypsum board installation on the second floor has been in-progress for the last 1-1/2 weeks and is approximately 40 percent complete.
All plumbing pipes have been capped to help prevent accidental leaks.
Supply ducts and piping at intersections of walls have been insulated to prevent condensation.
The radiant heating panels serving the kindergarten area have been re-piped to meet original construction specifications.
All return and exhaust ducts have been protected with filter media to prevent construction dust from entering the ventilation systems.
BCCI is in the process of sorting the casework and getting it staged for reinstallation following installation of floor tile under the cabinet bases. Moisture tests are being conducted to verify floors are cured and there are not on-going problems with moisture from the concrete floor slab systems.
Our roofing consultant, SRI, is scheduled to conduct an infrared scan of the roofing system this evening to identify if moisture is in the roof system. Following this scan, SRI will recommend any necessary corrective measures that may be required. No water leaks have been reported from the roof or wall systems as a result of recent rains.
BCCI has provided a schedule that indicates that the majority of work on the first floor classrooms will be complete by the end of June and the second floor by the end of July.

In addition, an independent Construction Manager, Michael Huffman, has been engaged to monitor the project in accordance with building specifications and construction best practices. Mr. Huffman will provide regular reports to MMSD. His reports, along with all summer communication and updates will be posted on the district's Web Site. The first two reports are being posted at this time.

Again I want to thank you for your support and wish you a great summer. We all look forward to our return to Chávez in August.

Sincerely,
Jane Belmore
Assistant Superintendent

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