MJUSD recaps building developments

Michaela Harris, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
Updated ·3 min read

Sep. 17—The Buildings and Grounds Department for the Marysville Joint Unified School District delivered a presentation during the district's board meeting on Tuesday, providing updates on the multiple construction, maintenance and renovation projects carried out during the 2021/22 school year.

Director of the Buildings and Grounds Department Doug Trower recapped the jobs and major projects he and his team completed on several school sites across the district. He said that, in total, the maintenance, grounds and custodial crew members carried out over 2,220 work orders. Each job fell under four categories including doors and locks, heating and air, plumbing and miscellaneous jobs, Trower said.

Newly established Pour in Place play surfaces were also highlighted during the presentation. In June, three new play surfaces were completed for preschools in Olivehurst and Linda. Trower said that these projects will save the district $18,000 per year by eliminating the need to purchase and replace bark.

Improvements continued with replacements being made to the play field at Linda Elementary School in Marysville as well as the football field at Lindhurst High School in Olivehurst.

"Our playfields are also our priority. Last year, we replaced the football field at Lindhurst high School, and this year, we replaced the playfield at Linda's school. Linda's field had been identified as an issue on inspection and will be a welcome addition to this site," Trower said.

For the past three years, Marysville Joint Unified School District has allocated over $250,000 per year for carpeting and flooring. Trower said that the Buildings and Grounds Department will continue to provide district-wide flooring evaluations and replacements as needs arise.

"Flooring in the district is a revolving issue as it is the one area that gets wear and tear on a day-to-day basis," he said.

The department has previously carried out painting projects for five school sites within the last two years to help beautify campuses. This year, Trower said that the painting projects were kept to a smaller focus with isolated jobs at three different schools.

The South Lindhurst High School north campus, Loma Rica Elementary School classrooms and the Olivehurst Elementary cafeteria received paint jobs. The improvements made to Loma Rica Elementary were especially highlighted due to students and teachers being able to move back into the established buildings and out of portable classrooms after completing both the painting project and a roof replacement project.

Trower said that the district's facilities master plan will be used for all painting projects in the future. However, before the department can move forward with these future projects, Trower said that siding and stucco issues within district buildings will be resolved first.

Trower highlighted the Arboga Elementary School expansion project as something that the district will take pride in upon completion. Formerly a TK through sixth-grade school, Arboga Elementary was able to expand to include seventh-grade students this year, the Appeal previously reported.

A multipurpose room and cafeteria, 10 new classrooms, science lab and blacktop surface have been constructed and remodeled on campus to provide comfortable spaces for students.

Moving forward into the 2022/23 school year, Trower plans on implementing the facilities master plan as well as more construction and renovation projects to address the growth and development of school infrastructure across the district.

The Buildings and Grounds Department plans to move forward with adding more classrooms to Mary Covillaud Elementary School in Marysville, upgrading the track and gym floors of Marysville High School and working on a dance studio for Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, Trower said.