December 8, 2017
Dear Gonic Parents and Guardians,
I want to provide you with some information that will create changes for your students at Gonic School. We have identified a structural issue in the roof system of the newer section of Gonic School. Unfortunately, this means that we need to replace the roof and structure under the roof as soon as possible. The structural engineers are concerned about snow load, and they want to start work within the next few weeks.
As a result, we need to move out of the new section of the building including the cafeteria and kitchen for the rest of this month and continuing for the Third and Fourth Quarters this school year. This will affect students in grades 3-5. We believe at this time that the kindergarten classroom can remain in place, and grades 1-2 can move to the old section can remain in place, as the construction will not affect the old wing.
The trusses that support the roof structure are damaged beyond repair due to some buildings in the 1970s to early 1990s often used a fire retardant chemical that was later found to degrade the wood in high heat or moisture areas (like attics). We had been reviewing this issue at the Career Tech Center and the Rochester Middle School. Those schools are not an emergency situations, but Gonic School’s supports are in an emergency state. We are currently working on how to complete this emergency construction work, the cost of it and other logistics. The State has an emergency fund for infrastructure that we will apply for immediately, which could offset as much as 80 percent of the cost.
We have developed a plan in the last 48 hours to move Grades 3, 4 and 5 students to classrooms at the Rochester Middle School for the remainder of the school year. Grades K to 2 would occupy the older section of Gonic School. We would use D wing at the Middle School, see attached diagram, and the students would be separate from the middle school students. Please understand that this may change if we get further information from the engineers or have better options space.
Busses and parent drop off would be at the front door of D-wing. Students will remain on the same busses they currently ride, with no changes in pickup or drop off. We will maintain the same elementary schedule. We will serve lunch at RMS for Gonic students, and deliver lunch to Gonic School. The Gonic students at RMS will have access to the facilities at RMS, but kept separate from Middle School students as much as possible.
We have scheduled an information session for parents for Wednesday, December 13 at 6 p.m. at the McClelland School cafeteria.
We also need to close school for all Gonic students on Wednesday December 13, 14, and 15. This will allow the classrooms to move into the older wing, and to RMS. If we happen to get a heavy snow this weekend, we may need to move the closing up to Monday, for safety concerns. That information will come via a Honeywell Alert. The engineers believe at this time, the building is not in immediate danger, but could be with any snow load.
I know this is a difficult time of year to hear this information and to try digest it. We don’t know all of the answers yet, but we are working on questions that have come and how we can address any concerns. We are assured that this work will be done in time for the school to re-open next fall.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Hopkins
Superintendent
What will the transportation plan be for children who currently walk to Gonic?
We will have a bus that takes walkers from Gonic School to RMS.
Doesnt appear to be an attached diagram?
I will have to post it from my PC tomorrow.
Sorry,
Mike
What about students in the aftercare program at Gonic? There is already a shortage in aftercare. All the school aftercare sites are at full capacity in Rochester. Will you help them find space? All of the parents who send their kids to aftercare need it to be able to work.
My child is in mrs Ferguson’s kindergarten class directly next to the affected area. Is this of concern? Are they two separate buildings or the same newer building? Are they safe during construction?
When will there be information for the RMS parents? My daughters team is on D Wing – what is the plan for them?
We are currently looking at the aftercare issues and programs. RMS has a program that is not full, and we will work with the Rochester Child Care to see how we can adjust the programs. I should have more information this afternoon.
The Engineers are looking at this classroom. It was built after the gym, so it doesn’t have any issues with trusses, but it depends on the proximity. We hope to use the kindergarten classroom remains in place.
I am meeting with Mr. Houghton in a few minutes and we will send out more information later this afternoon or tomorrow.
I, too, echo my concerns about the access to before and aftercare given my work schedule- it will be impossible for me to pick up two children at two different schools ( as I have a 1st grader and 3rd grader) prior to the 6:00pm closure. I am happy that the school is taking action but I am worried about the impact it will have on my ability to work.
How will children at Gonic (K-2) access physical education during the rest of the year?
What about before care kids and homework club?
Can we consider having the info session at RMS or including a tour of this space in that night’s agenda? It would be helpful for those of us sending our kids there to gain a better understanding of where they are going and how this space is separated from the rest of the school.
There are concerts at RMS every night (the only reason we are at McClelland), but we will be at RMS on Tuesday evening an hour before the Gonic concert for parents to visit. I will post a photo to show the separation of D Wing from the remainder of the school.
I will be meeting with Rochester Child Care today.
I am meeting with Rochester Child Care today. I will provide more information as we move along.
Mr. Hopkins- Thank you so much for your immediate responses. You are most certainly working in over-drive and appear to be in back-to-back meetings to resolve this, yet you are still finding a way to immediately respond and address our concerns.
How will this affect the middle school kids in the D wings as stated by another page t my daughter is located in D wing.
If the K class had to move, is there a possible planned space in the Gonic School so they can remain there?
It’s important to stick together and give stability to the students most of all. This is an inconvenience but nothing compared to a tragedy that could have happened if this wasn’t proactively check. Gonic is a great school with great kids, parents and teachers. Now is the time to show everyone how an amazing school comes together!
Georgetown students will move to C wing, I believe, and University of Vermont is moving into the UA wing, I believe. Mr. Houghton will send home a letter today.
I have some backup ideas, if needed.
First of all, I would like to thank you for being so vigilant and thorough in your assessment and addressing the building issue at hand. As a parent I appreciate the concern for the safety of our children demonstrated.
There are many Gonic families that have children participating in the band concert taking place on Wednesday evening, and yet would like to attend the meeting as well. Is there any chance of moving the meeting to either a different night or time?
I completely agree with Tom – and there is nothing easy or convenient about any of this for many, many people – but had there been a roof cave in, we would see that these “hardships” would be paled in comparison to hundreds of injuries/deaths. Yes, it is all scary and many questions remain, but let’s pull together here and keep the perspective!
Sorry if I missed this, but where will the kids remaining at Gonic school have recess and meals? Are the art, tech, music, gym, library affected?
We will know more about all of that information in the next few days. We will provide all of the classes, meals and recess. They will probably look a little different, especially PE.
Has the YMCA after care program is aware of this and available for daytime care for the week? They offer snow day care. It may be possible to take on some students. Have they been approached? Thanks
We are checking with the Y.