By Author
Judith Dionne

Facing concerns that proposed additions to the Candia Moore School are only about giving the school an adequate gym, the Candia Facilities Committee met with residents on Jan. 19 at the Moore School to explain the benefits for students and the community. They also named a contractor for the proposed project and released cost estimates as well.

The proposed $5.6 million bond for the project will include all furnishings and materials to get the school up and running after construction is complete.

The cost estimates on a 20-year bond at 5 percent were explained by Selectman Clark Thyng. “The estimated costs are based on a home valued at $250,000,” said Thyng.

“These are just estimates. I feel the town may be able to bond better than the 4.99 percent example.”

On a PowerPoint presentation, residents were shown that the first year of the bond will add $340 annually or $28.33 per month to property taxes on a $250,000 home.

Year five decreases to $298 for the year or $24.83 monthly. Year 10 goes down to $248 for the year or $20.67 a month. Year 15 costs $198 and year 20 costs $145 on such a home. Monthly breakdowns are $16.50 and $12.08, respectively, in those years.

“The monthly tax impact is less than a tank of gas,” said Kathy Berger, facility committee chairman. “So often we wonder what happens to our tax dollars. This is something tangible that lets us see where they go.”

The contractor, who did major renovations and construction at Pinkerton Academy in Derry – Bonnette, Page and Stone – has been chosen by the facilities committee to oversee the proposed renovations to the school.

“They committed to a ‘not-to-exceed’ bid,” said Berger. “We wanted to make this as turn-key as possible. I don’t want to have to be back up here asking for more money later on,” she added with a laugh.

“We interviewed four companies and were very impressed with them (Bonnette, Page and Stone,)” said school board member John Messler. “We were very enthusiastic with their time frame (to complete the project) and they committed to keep costs within the estimate quoted.”

The proposed renovations center on pulling together the seven previous additions to the school to make the K - 8 building a more functional space.

“Right now, we have kindergarten students down near the middle school,” said Berger. “Putting core services in the center of the school allows students to primarily remain in their age-appropriate areas throughout the day.”

The major redesign will move the music room and computer lab to the center of the school near the new gym and existing library, Berger said. There will be two science labs added, major renovations to existing classrooms and to the heating and ventilation system, and a complete redesign of the school’s core.

Moore School Principal Michelle Carvalho said the science labs will be properly equipped and will have water in the rooms, which they don’t now.

Having a middle-school-size gym will be a great benefit to the student body. In the present gym, Messler said, programs like volleyball are set up in the morning, taken down at lunch time then set up again afterward.

“This room is so small I watched the eighth-graders, about 25, playing the other day,” said Carvalho. “They were broken up into three teams of eight, so one team was always sitting. They couldn’t even have a full gym class.”

Berger said the gym will benefit the community too, because it will hold 700 to 800 people and will more than be able to host a Town or School District Meeting.

“Including the existing gym, we should be able to hold 980 residents for a Town Meeting,” said Berger.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had that many people at a meeting,” said Thyng, adding with a chuckle, “Although we may have this year.”

With the space crunch at the school and storage space at a premium, students and staff can’t make full use of the school, said Candia School Board Chairman Bill Zarges, as he showed slides of the cramped rooms throughout the school.

Currently, special services such as Title 1 reading is done in a closet and some occupational and physical therapy is done in a stairwell.

“The school keeps taking space from the media center to make offices and provide space for special education classrooms,” said Zarges.

“This project will help to return the media center back to its original size.” The project will also provide special education rooms for student services.

“Right now, we have students walking through the media center to get to their classes,” said Zarges “This is in direct violation with confidentiality laws provided for special education students.”

“This project will solve many problems and provide adequate space for programs into the next decade,” added Zarges.

A bond hearing is scheduled at the Candia School Board’s regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 3, to finalize the $5.6 million figure. Awarrant article for the renovations will be on the School District Meeting ballot in March.