A security project at John Winthrop Middle School (JWMS) is making headway, as the architectural firm hired for the project presented seven design options to the Region 4 (R4) Board of Education (BOE) at its Nov. 17 meeting.

Rusty Malik, a principal architect for the Farmington-based architectural firm Quisenberry Arcari Malik, LLC (QA+M), made the presentation.

“The goal here is to really understand how we make an accessible vestibule, secure vestibule, that comes into the building…so that everybody gets screened,” said Malik.

Some of the items discussed by Malik during his presentation included use of an enhanced security system, motion sensors, interior and exterior cameras, panic buttons, and bullet-resistant glass, as a few examples.

The formation of a building committee, which will have oversight of the project along with Superintendent of Schools Brian White and JWMS Principal Matthew Espinosa, was also approved at the board’s Nov. 17 meeting.

The need for an enhanced level of safety at the front entrance of the school has been discussed for some time, with $50,000 in capital reserve funds earmarked for the project by the R4 board at a March 2019 meeting.

With the account substantially underfunded, and a freeze on any capital expenses implemented by White, the project did not move forward in 2019.

However, White explored different options for the project with the School Security Advisory Committee earlier this year, conducting several walk-throughs of the site with Espinosa.

“It got to a point in our work where we knew we just needed the professional services of an architect to come in and make some recommendations for us to consider,” said White.

In May, the Business and Facilities Office sent out a request for proposals, with the R4 BOE accepting an architectural service bid from QA+M at its June 16 meeting. The board also approved $62,500 from unexpended 2019–’20 funds for the design of a secured entry at this meeting.

A portion of the architectural service cost, $7,500, is for the firm’s assistance with a state grant application. If approved, the state would reimburse R4 with 46.07 percent of the total costs associated with the security upgrade.

The project must meet state “safety and security infrastructure guidelines,” according to Malik, one example of which is a school safety and security plan, which must be updated annually as required by state statute.

Other criteria as outlined in a checklist by the Office of School Construction Grants & Review must also be adhered to for the grant, according to Malik.

“We’ll meet with the state and nowadays they require us to meet prior to the final decision on any project,” said Malik. “They want to understand exactly what we’re doing in terms of what the scope of the project is, and they’ll want to know other options we’ve reviewed.”

The total cost of the project (prior to any reimbursement from the state) varied, depending on the different options presented by Malik. The lowest dollar amount was $207,750 while the highest was $1,837,000.

The R4 administration did not discuss at the Nov. 17 meeting any details on how the total costs of the project will be funded.

“We understand that you’ll be going out for funding, so there is going to be a question about how much time it will take for funding of the project,” said Malik.

In terms of the project’s timeline, an “ideal circumstance”, said Malik, would be to have all the documentation completed by April 2021, with the contract awarded shortly thereafter.

“So, when June rolls around, materials are beginning to show up, or are scheduled to be there in the July, August time frame and the project can be completed in a timely manner,” said Malik.

The project’s tentative completion date is currently set for the end of August 2021.