Calvert County Public Schools’ (CCPS) Director of School Construction George R. Leah Jr. presented the system’s proposed Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for fiscal years 2014 through 2019 to the Board of Education (BOE) Sept. 6. The CIP includes nearly $10.7 million in projects planned for fiscal year (FY) 2014.

Leah reported that two projects “were parachuted in” by state officials. The new projects involve replacing existing T12 fluorescent light fixtures “with energy-efficient T8 fluorescent light fixtures, motion sensors and limited acoustic ceiling modifications in classrooms” at Southern and Northern middle schools. The Southern Middle School (SMS) project will cost $99,620, with $74,000 coming from state funds and $25,620 from local funds. Part of the local funds for the SMS project will be offset by an energy rebate from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. The Northern Middle School (NMS) project will cost an estimated $203,830. The state will provide $140,000 in funding and the $63,830 will come from local funding.

The biggest item on the FY 2014 list is nearly $4.5 million in state and local funding for the five and final year of construction and renovation at Calvert High School (CHS). The state allocation will be an estimated $3.14 million with nearly $1.3 million in local funds.

The SMS, NMS and CHS projects will need the approval of the Maryland Interagency Committee on School Construction (IAC). Another project needing IAC approval is the second phase of renovation work at Mutual Elementary School (MES) which will involve installing a fire suppression system and revitalizing the outdated open space classroom area. The MES project will cost over $2.4 million, with almost $1.4 million in funding provided by the state.

Other FY 2014 capital projects not requiring IAC approval are CHS architectural and engineering services for the final phase of the renovation project ($150,000), Northern High School (NHS) architectural and engineering and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) services ($2 million) and the upgrade of the Brooks Administrative Center’s HVAC system ($363,000).

Between FYs 2015 – 2018, CCPS’ biggest capital project will be the renovation and construction of NHS. The project will cost an estimated $58 million, with over half ($29.8 million) allocated by the state.

In 2019 the planning for the project to renovate Beach Elementary School is expected to begin. Leah indicated a feasibility study must be done before the exact scope of the project is determined.

The CIP is to be reviewed for the next 30 days and the BOE expects to take action to approve it during their October meeting.

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