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The Hazelwood School Board of Education approved the initiation of several new construction projects related to Proposition H, a $120 million, no-tax-rate-increase bond issue for facility updates passed by District voters in November 2010.

Tom Mangogna, director of facilities, said construction workers will begin asbestos removal and replace classroom flooring and marker boards at the following elementary schools around May 23 – Jamestown, Jana, Jury, Keeven, Lusher, McCurdy and Russell. In addition, Keeven will also receive an elevator, located approximately halfway down the center staircase. Mangogna said he expects the majority of this work to finish by June 30, with the elevator work at Keeven ending by September.

Another construction project with an approximate start date of May 23 is at Hazelwood Northwest Middle School. Workers will install a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and new masonry and glass exterior wall systems.

Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West early childhood education centers (ECEs) will also receive updates. Workers will replace markerboards and flooring tiles at Hazelwood West ECE, with completion expected by July 18. At Hazelwood East ECE, new markerboards and flooring tiles will be installed, plus the school will receive a new elevator, located near the great room. The flooring and board work should be complete by July 30 but Mangogna said the elevator may not be finished until September.

Proposition H work began last June at five elementary schools – Barrington, Cold Water, Garrett, Townsend and Walker. At Barrington, the District removed chalkboards and replaced them with marker boards. Cold Water and Garrett underwent chalkboard and asbestos floor tile removal and marker boards were installed. At Townsend and Walker, the District replaced old HVAC systems with new ones. Amid the construction at Townsend and Walker, Mangogna said new data and voice lines for computers and telephones were installed and older fire alarm systems were replaced. Elevator construction at other elementary schools – Brown, Jana, Lawson, McCurdy and McNair – which started last summer, finished this spring.

Mangogna said he expects the Board of Education to approve the next project, upgrades to Hazelwood East High School, sometime in the next few weeks. Plans at Hazelwood East High include a 16,000 square-foot library addition on the ground floor, adjacent to the auditorium. There will be new science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studios and health occupation, Project Lead the Way and home repair classrooms.

A 7,500 square-foot auxiliary gymnasium and additional locker rooms will be added at the building’s northeast corner. The school’s front façade will be revamped with a new center entry plaza and vehicular drop-off area, a new main office and a new clinic. There will be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) elevator access to all floors in the north wing as well as ADA access to the fine arts wing, auditorium and gymnasium. Hallway lockers, walls and ceilings in the north wing will receive fresh coats of paint and remaining chalkboards will be replaced by markerboards. The current library space will be converted to additional classrooms and offices for the guidance department. This project is scheduled to finish by the summer of 2014.

Other new features include an auxiliary gymnasium, center main entrance, office, clinic and more. This and other current District construction projects are funded by Proposition H, a $120 million, no-tax-rate bond issue approved by District voters in November 2010.