Yes to Education Plateau Valley

11/02/2021

It’s voting day! Don’t forget to get your ballot in! Vote yes for 4A!

10/27/2021

We have passed the deadline for mailing ballots. Here is a list of drop off locations for Mesa County! Don't forget to vote!

Mesa County Central Services - 200 S Spruce Street, Grand Junction
Fruita Civic Center - 325 East Aspen Avenue, Fruita
Clifton DMV - 3225 I-70 Business Loop, Unit A2, Clifton
GVT West Transfer Facility - 612 24 1/2 Road, Grand Junction
Department of Human Services - 510 29 1/2 Road, Grand Junction
Colorado Mesa University - 1100 North Avenue, Grand Junction
Mesa County Fairgrounds - 2785 US Highway 50, Grand Junction
Palisade Community Center - 120 West 8th Street, Palisade

10/27/2021

A few more answers to frequently asked questions.

Questions about the roof?
The original roof from 1959 and the additions in mid-80’s are tar/gravel with spray foam overlay. This has been repaired multiple times but never replace due to costs. We were given estimates 2 years ago for replacing the 1959 roof only. Not including the additions (upper elementary, middle school, Vo-Ag and media center), the quoted cost was $2.2M for a 20-year roof. The repairs that have been made on our roofs over the years generally came with a 5-year warranty. Companies that repair roofs don’t offer warranties unless you pay a higher premium for the repair itself.. A roof on a commercial building is much different than a metal roof or tab shingle roof on your home in terms of cost, installation, and warranties
For a new roof, 20 year warranties are typical for commercial buildings like a school, however with each year, the warranty decreases on a sliding scale over time adjusting for the years of use. In addition, such warranties usually only cover the material itself, not installation; the installation warranty is typically 1-2 years after the building is deemed substantially complete.

Local Contractor Involvement?
PVSD has competitively procured team members for the project. The contractor that has been selected is FCI Constructors, Inc. based in Grand Junction. They have several employees who reside in our school district and the site superintendent is a local Collbran resident.
FCI will competitively bid each trade when the design documents are finalized. PVSD will be able to evaluate the bids and work with FCI to make sure all local contractors, suppliers and labor have a chance to submit a bid to work on this project. FCI will hold local open houses for anyone interested in working on the project.
Our Owner’s Representative will keep an estimated running tally, reported each month to the school board, of local expenditures within the PVSD boundaries. This includes purchases made at local businesses like restaurants, gas stations, motels and hardware stores. PVSD is cognizant that a large project like this one can provide local economic stimulus.
Other questions that have been asked may have already been answered on the YES to Education Plateau Valley page.

10/26/2021

To counter the GJHS vs PV building costs : We are comparing apples to oranges, we are a PK-12 school in comparison to a large district high school; facility requirements are entirely different. Costs our district will incur that will have no effect on D51 include: State highway improvements, (excel - decel), transportation building, new athletic field improvements, updating and expanding the water system to accommodate domestic water, irrigation, and fire sprinkler.
Below is what the actual cost of the GJHS new build is and a link attached that outlines what a newly constructed facility must include per the state of Colorado.

From The Daily Sentinel Printed Letters - October, 10 2021:
"A new three-story Grand Junction High School is expected to cost $145 million. The bond only seeks a maximum of $115 million. The other $30 million comes from a $10 million state grant and $20 million the district earmarked for GJHS upgrades — money it doesn’t want to sink into the aging building unless it has to."
The link below outlines what the state requires of a new build.
Please see this link: https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=4954
It states: It says pk & k should have 1000-1200 SF per classroom. Elementary school is 35 SF/student; MS & HS are 32 SF/student. (pages 8, 9 of link). Then there is a pretty large section on rural school guidelines starting on page 13 that you may find useful.

10/23/2021

10/22/2021

Questions about the roof?
The original roof from 1959 and the additions in mid-80’s are tar/gravel with spray foam overlay. This has been repaired multiple times but never replace due to costs. We were given estimates 2 years ago for replacing the 1959 roof only. Not including the additions (upper elementary, middle school, Vo-Ag and media center), the quoted cost was $2.2M for a 20-year roof. The repairs that have been made on our roofs over the years generally came with a 5-year warranty. Companies that repair roofs don’t offer warranties unless you pay a higher premium for the repair itself.. A roof on a commercial building is much different than a metal roof or tab shingle roof on your home in terms of cost, installation, and warranties
For a new roof, 20 year warranties are typical for commercial buildings like a school, however with each year, the warranty decreases on a sliding scale over time adjusting for the years of use. In addition, such warranties usually only cover the material itself, not installation; the installation warranty is typically 1-2 years after the building is deemed substantially complete.


Local Contractor Involvement?
PVSD has competitively procured team members for the project. The contractor that has been selected is FCI Constructors, Inc. based in Grand Junction. They have several employees who reside in our school district and the site superintendent is a local Collbran resident.
FCI will competitively bid each trade when the design documents are finalized. PVSD will be able to evaluate the bids and work with FCI to make sure all local contractors, suppliers and labor have a chance to submit a bid to work on this project. FCI will hold local open houses for anyone interested in working on the project.
Our Owner’s Representative will keep an estimated running tally, reported each month to the school board, of local expenditures within the PVSD boundaries. This includes purchases made at local businesses like restaurants, gas stations, motels and hardware stores. PVSD is cognizant that a large project like this one can provide local economic stimulus.
Other questions that have been asked may have already been answered on the YES to Education Plateau Valley page.

10/20/2021

FAQ’s
What is the 2012 Mill Levy Override used for?
Since the MLO was passed in 2012, the school district has repaired the roof, replaced HVAC units and had a LED lighting retrofit. The monies are also used yearly for keeping our technology up to date with our 1:1 program, meaning each student has access to a laptop or Chromebook. About 2/3 of the money yearly is spent on salaries to recruit and retain new staff members. We have added a total of 3 additional teachers with this funding: 2 additional teachers in the 7-12, 1 SPED teacher. Additionally, 2-3 Paraprofessionals have been added to our staff in the past 4 years. Each salaried teacher costs around 50-60K per year depending on experience and education. We also added the Appleton Clinic program for a preventative health benefit at the cost of around 55-60K.

Why is the total payback of $61 million so much?
The amount we are asking from the voters is $34.644M. Similar to when someone takes a mortgage loan, the loan is repaid with interest. On a 25 year bond, the payback amount will not exceed $61M.
Hayden PK-12 is very similar in size of school and a ranching community, their total project cost was $62M when they passed a bond in 2017. They received a larger BEST grant as their match is lower than our current 77% match.
Meeker High School’s total price tag was $43.5M when they passed a bond in 2018. So, our $45 million project, which went up $5 million in the last year due to rising costs, is right in line with other new schools in our area.

10/18/2021

The roof of the 1959 portion of the building is of major concern. It still has the original tar and gravel roof. In the late 80s and early 90s a foam roof was applied over all of the tar and gravel surface to fix the roof. The foam roof is the same foam that you get in the cans to seal window and door frames. to protect
the foam from the elements 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of poly aslistmeric paint are applied. So instead of tin, shingles that can be found on residential homes or rubber membrane (typically used in commercial buildings).
The 59 portion has a fancy paint to keep out the elements. Because there are
basically two roofs, water leaks are near impossible to find, water travels through the foam and disperses across the tar until it finds its way into the building. While the water travels to find its way into the building it damages the foam on it's way. Replacement of the 1959 roof would be $2,231,940.00 ( does not include ag and media center roofs) and to repair the foam it will average $45,000 annually and possibly more some years. In addition the foam roof will need to be recoated with polyaspartic paint every 5 to 7 years. The gym roof would be the first to be repainted at $65,000. Repair of foam roofs are difficult to budget for because you have no idea the cost until you cut it out and find how much foam has been saturated. Weight of the saturation is also of major concern.
Realistically the foam over tar and gravel will always be lost money and will never be a good roof unless it is replaced entirely. The 1996 addition roof is long overdue and will cost $498,592.00 to replace. These figures were from 2019, and can be expected that they would be higher now due to inflation. There are actually weeds growing through the foam.

10/12/2021

Ballots are out! Get your information, get your facts and vote yes on 4A!

10/09/2021

To Whom It May Concern:
STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is by nature a hands-on, out-of-your-seat, up and moving, dynamic discipline. Any time you are working on STEAM projects a useable environment is essential.
Useable environments include:
➢ Space for machines and equipment
➢ Work stations (benches, desks, tables, etc.)
➢ Storage for projects, equipment, tools, supplies, etc.
➢ Quality lighting
➢ Tools, power and hand tools
➢ Sinks and cleaning stations
➢ Proper venting for modern equipment and finish station (laser and 3d printers, etc.)
➢ Shelving for reference materials
➢ Locked cabinets/storage for chemicals and other delicate materials
➢ Large external doors to allow easy access/egress for large projects (think solar car/building structures…)
➢ Quality internet access
➢ Easily accessible ac power outlets

This is a partial list designed to give the reader a sample of the things needed to provide students with a quality facility that would be used to develop an exceptional STEAM program. The current STEAM courses offered here at Plateau Valley School are thriving but our ability to reach for greater student opportunities is limited by the facility itself, which lacks most of the items listed above.
Some of our current STEAM students are involved in large scale projects that necessitate them working outdoors. This is fine when the weather is good but it is tough on students, and their projects, when the weather turns. A new facility would mean an amazing increase in STEAM opportunities for our students. It would allow our beginning students better and safer access to the tools and equipment. It would offer our more advanced students the ability to pursue individualized areas of study based on interest and future employment goals.
As an educator a properly designed and equipped facility makes all the difference in the world. Hands-on projects can be created without the constraints of facility limitations. Large, exciting projects designed to instill a sense of wonder and pride among our students will be more easily possible. A “Maker Space” and a classroom rather than a classroom with a few tools stuffed in. What a difference that could make! My mind races with possibilities.
Our agricultural based community is based on STEAM principles and new STEAM based career opportunities are being developed daily. Helping the students of Plateau Valley prepare for success in these exciting employment fields should, and must, be a priority for our entire community. Our youth are the future and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math are their key to that future.
These are some of my thoughts on what a new facility would mean to our STEAM students and educators. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to visit my classroom.
Sincerely,
Steve Langley
STEAM Education
Plateau Valley School

10/06/2021

Don’t forget! This is your chance to hear from the architects and general contractor about this project. This is a great opportunity to get answers to your questions! Meeting will be held in the auditorium to allow for social distancing!