90 Skylights Replaced on New Elementary Schools

When elementary school students head back to the three new schools the Concord School District constructed two years ago, they should notice a major change: The school skylights probably won’t leak anymore.

That’s because earlier this summer, all 90 skylights on the Abbot-Downing and McAulliffe elementary schools, and the Mill Brook Primary School, were replaced, at no cost to the district.

According to Matt Cashman, the director of facilities and planning for the district, Wasco Skylights, the company that manufactured the skylights, found a defect in the ones used in all three schools.

“There was a design flaw found in that particular model,” Cashman said.

Problems with the skylights started appearing right after the schools opened with all three schools reporting leaks in the windows and skylights and in one case, under the doors of the McAuliffe Elementary School, during a rainstorm not long after the schools opened. Water damage was also reported on woodwork and walls. All of those repairs have been made, according to Cashman.

Contractors for Harvey Construction worked to repair the leaks at all the schools that were first thought to be adhesives and membranes on the roofs.

Since the skylights were under warranty, they were all replaced, free of charge.

Computer, drainage problems

During the last school year, a number of programming issues were also reported, specifically issues with computerized lighting and connectivity between computer technology in the schools, like iPads not interacting properly with Smart Boards.

Cashman said that the school district had a service called SchoolDude, which reported any IT and programming issues in live time so that issues could be dealt with as soon as possible. He stated that currently, there shouldn’t be any problems with technology in the schools.

The nagging problem with the drainage at the McAuliffe Elementary School also appears to be remedied, according to Cashman.

That issue first arose not long after the building opened and during the previous two winters where ground water froze underneath the school (the school is built above an underground aquifer or spring, hence the name, Spring Street). When the problem was first discovered, school officials began meeting with the architect, the construction company, and engineers, to find out who was ultimately responsible for the problems.

Cashman said that Harvey Construction and Nobis Engineering “recognized and owned the issue and installed drainage to alleviate the problem.” The construction company also extended the warranty on the work until next spring, he said.

$8.6M bond vote

The Concord School Board is also holding a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, to vote on an $8.6 million bond to make repairs to Beaver Meadow, Broken Ground, Concord High, and Rundlett Middle schools, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofs, and buy new school buses. The meeting will be held at the media center at Concord High School (the former location of Concord TV). After the public hearing, the board will take a vote on the bonding.