Wallace: AJUSD taking advantage of school facilities board funding
Posted
This school year AJUSD was fortunate to receive guidance on how to work together collaboratively with the Arizona School Facilities Board. There is now a better understanding at the district level on which projects to put forth to SFB and how the process works.”
Heather Wallace, AJUSD interim superintendent
By Heather Wallace
Apache Junction Unified School District is in the second quarter of school. With the weather beginning to cool off, there is a renewed energy flowing through the district that usually happens this time of year.
One of the focuses this year has been submitting work to the Arizona School Facilities Board in an effort to receive support on projects that AJUSD wants to complete. The school facilities board was established as a fund used to correct deficiencies in existing school facilities. SFB has adopted rules to establish school facility guidelines, as well as how to assess school buildings against these guidelines.
SFB monies can be used for major renovations and repairs of school buildings, upgrades for building systems — heating, cooling, plumbing, etc. — that will maintain the use of the building, and for infrastructure improvements. Monies from the school facilities board cannot be used for new construction, beautification, demolition or routine maintenance.
This school year AJUSD was fortunate to receive guidance on how to work together collaboratively with the Arizona School Facilities Board. There is now a better understanding at the district level on which projects to put forth to SFB and how the process works.
The process for each project includes assessment, design, procurement and construction. Currently we have the following projects in the design stage:
Cactus Canyon Junior High School gymnasium bleachers;
Four Peaks Elementary School weatherization; and
Cactus Canyon Junior High School/Four Peaks Elementary School roofing.
In the procurement stage we have:
Apache Junction High School/Desert Vista Elementary School/Peralta Trail Elementary School roofing; and
Cactus Canyon Junior High School/Desert Vista Elementary School/Peralta Trail Elementary School weatherization.
We were also awarded a smaller project to replace an air-conditioning unit at Peralta Trail Elementary School.
We are excited to announce that Apache Junction High School has just been approved for a weatherization project that will begin within the next few months. This project will consist of sealing around all windows and doors, including any replacement if necessary, sealing all cracks and holes around the exterior of the buildings and new paint on all buildings. The project is extensive and once underway should be completed in approximately 17 weeks.
AJUSD has received $2,221,796.42 in funds from SFB and had to use $174,890.33 from its own budget to complete the steps in the projects mentioned above. Since spring of 2021 AJUSD has been awarded approximately 25 new steps through current projects.
As we continue to build a culture of excellence throughout the school district, we reflect not only on the hard work of our staff but recognize the tremendous support from the community. The school facilities board projects are just one of many remarkable and positive steps we are taking to create an environment that is supportive to the needs of each of our students.
Editor’s note: Heather Wallace is interim superintendent of Apache Junction Unified School District.
