LED Lighting:

LED lighting retrofitting is now in its final stages at Hugh Mercer Elementary School.

 

The auditorium lighting at James Monroe is now complete.

 

Solar Power:

On March 29th, a vendor recommended by ABM reassessed the roof at James Monroe High School to evaluate its current condition and to determine whether solar panels might be viable there. We are awaiting the report from the vendor.

 

Learning Cottages at Lafayette Elementary:

An occupancy permit was issued for the previously unoccupied learning cottage that was moved on site. The two classrooms it contains are now available for SOL testing.

 

Pre-School Playground and Sunshade:

Work is steadily progressing on the pre-school playground that is designed to provide apparatus for all students with disabilities. Installation of the sunshade on the opposite side of the facility is also well underway.

 

HVAC Project at Hugh Mercer:

It was discovered that the HVAC equipment scheduled for replacement this summer at Hugh Mercer has lead paint. Consequently, outside vendors who specialize in abating and removing equipment with lead paint are needed for the demolition portion of this project. Two vendors have assessed the areas in question and will be submitting bids to complete this work. Another vendor is being sought to do the same.

 

Summer Boiler Project at Walker Grant:

This project will run concurrently with the HVAC project once school lets out. It is currently on schedule.

 

Electric Bus Charging Stations:

As previously communicated, the total number of parking spaces on the James Monroe High School campus is fewer than the current code requires. We have been working with Dominion Power to address and satisfy several comments made by the City Planning Department. A revised minor site plan is expected to be submitted this week for their approval.

 

Jen Brody and I met with representatives of Sonny Merryman on Friday March 31st. It is possible that they might be able to provide a small portable charger that would enable the school division to take delivery of the first two electric buses soon. We are currently exploring the infrastructure needed to install a portable charger.

The following facilities update was given:

1. CTE Cosmetology Lab at James Monroe has been completed and power to the 20 workstations in the Cosmetology lab has been fully upgraded. The lab is fully operable.

 

2. LED Lighting:

LED lighting retrofitting is now on-going at Hugh Mercer Elementary School.

 

Both Lafayette Elementary and Walker Grant Middle School have been completed, except for a few minor punch list items.

 

Cannister lighting fixtures needed to finish the auditorium at James Monroe High School have still not yet arrived. Once they do arrive, they will be installed as quickly as possible.

 

3. Electric Bus Charging Stations:

As previously communicated, the total number of parking spaces on the James Monroe High School campus are fewer than current code requires. In order for the minor site plan to be approved by the city, a parking study from a third-party vendor must first be conducted. Our partners at Dominion Power are working with the school division to obtain these services. The study will take several weeks once commissioned, which will delay the project’s completion date somewhat.

 

4. Solar Power:

On February 22nd, a crew from ABM’s solar power sub-contractor examined Hugh Mercer Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Walker-Grant Middle School, and the Walker-Grant Center. This is a preliminary step in the ultimate installation of solar power panels at these facilities. Once devised, the project schedules at these sites will be communicated to the Board.

 

The following safety update was given:

 

Dr. Eberhardt shared that when replacing the LED lights at Walker-Grant Middle School it was discovered that there were emergency batteries in the lights. They were able to replace fifty-seven batteries saving between $5,000 and $7,000. They were also investigating smart metal detectors. The system being investigated will be able to determine weapons other than guns. Stop the bleed kits have been purchased for every classroom, training is being planned. A safety campaign to help students understand the dangers of vaping and opioid use is being planned.

February 15 is School Resource Officer (SRO) Appreciation Day, and FCPS wants to thank our amazing school resources officers. SRO B.K. (James Monroe) and SRO Florio (Walker-Grant) were each presented with a small token of appreciation for all the amazing work they do, keeping our students safe and forming positive connections with them. We are incredibly grateful to have them in our schools! Please enjoy a wider selection of photos below.

Safety Coordinator Angie Roenke facilitated the monthly meeting with FCPS leadership, the Fredericksburg Police Department, the Sheriff's Office, and Fire & Rescue.  The following updates were shared with the School Board on Monday, February 6th.  

• Division wide training for Crisis Management was held on Friday, January 20th, from 9 am to 2 pm.  In attendance were each schools crisis management team, the division team, police, sheriff, fire, and EMS.  During the training, three scenarios were presented, and each group went through the discussion on what they would do in that specific instance.  
• Following that training, schools were asked to review crisis plans in order to be prepared.
• Police have completed training in all school buildings.
• Narcan Training has been completed.  Several people completed the train-the-trainer and were given Narcan to personally carry for community issues.
• 4 doors at WGMS will be replaced for security reasons.
• Division leadership is meeting with companies who offer weapons detection systems and integrated camera systems for alerts. 

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The following is a bullet point list from the January 9 school board meeting; 

Facilities

• Chiller Training Sessions at Walker Grant Middle School and Lafayette Elementary School
• CTE Cosmetology Lab at James Monroe
• LED Lighting
• Electric Bus Charging Stations

Safety

• Division-wide Crisis Management training
• Breach kit lockers have been installed in all schools
• We are working on sending out a letter to parents and the community reminding people to keep guns locked away from children. 

The following is a bullet point list from the November 7 school board meeting; 

Facilities

• Electric Energy Savings
• Culvert on Learning Lane
• Asphalt at Lafayette and Hugh Mercer
• Electric Bus Charging Stations
• Summer Boiler

The following is a bullet point list from the November 7 school board meeting; 

Facilities

• Installation of the tandem chillers at LUES.
• LED lighting project
• E-bus charging stations

Safety

• Assurance that necessary materials are available
• Digital maps and coordination with City
• SRO and SSO positions
• Athletic events
• Continued training

The following is a bullet point list from the October 10 school board meeting; 

Facilities

• HVAC - Lafayette Elementary 
• Bioretention Project
• James Monroe High School CTE Project
• Electric Energy Savings - LED Lighting
• E4 Consortium:  Environment Energy Efficiency Education

Safety

• September 24 Safety Summit
• September 24 Safety Summit
• Scheduled Safety Trainings
• October 2022 Incident Command System (All Administration)
• January 2023 Tabletop Emergency Preparedness (All Administration)
• All keys have been duplicated as requested
• Additional access cards have been created for Fire Department

School Board (9-12-22) Safety Summit Updates

On Tuesday, August 30, 2022, Dr. Catlett, Dr. Eberhardt, Mike George, and Assistant to the Deputy Superintendent Angie Roenke, and Don Upperco met with Fredericksburg City Law Enforcement and Rescue Services officials.

The following updates were provided:

· James Monroe High School’s SRO Uyuree Brown-Kaleopaa, known as Officer BK, reported that FCPS Staff and Faculty provided positive feedback on the Avoid, Deny, Defend Training that took place August 1 - 5 at each school site. Staff were prepped for safety responses which included focus on escape and how the SWAT team will respond, tourniquet use, and medical and “go” bags. There was universal agreement that children are our number one priority.

· FXBG Law Enforcement teams are enthusiastic about the Upcoming Safety Summit, being held at James Monroe High School on September 24, from 9 - 10 AM. Police Chief Brian Layton arranged for the sharing of the event on Facebook by reposting James Monroe’s post. Chief Layton reported that FXBG Police have 32,000 followers.

· Chief Information Officer Mike George reported that camera systems at all the schools are nearing completion of installation and configurations. Once completed, FXBG police representatives, including Officer BK, will take part in a training on how to use the updated camera systems.

· School leadership teams will engage with the Mobile Command Vehicle and Bearcat under the supervision of Battalion Chief Jack McGovern during the month of October to better understand how emergency response team equipment will be used in the event of a threat.