Parents’ Persistence Pays Off in Sierra Madre

Students and Parents Score ‘Big Win’ for Campus

On Tuesday, at the Facilities Sub-Committee meeting, Bond Manager Robin Brown presented the revised Facilities Master Plan (FMP). This presentation included a very ‘big win’ for Sierra Madre Middle School (SMMS) – the revised proposal includes all of the buildings as originally designed for the new Middle School campus.
This plan takes into account that the Chinese dual immersion program (currently beginning year 4 at Field Elementary) will need a middle school campus in 2 years. The new plan is for this program to be housed at SMMS at the middle school level. This has given the Facilities team the added incentive of making sure the school will be ready in 2 years for these students, which is an added benefit.

The cuts proposed for SMMS were twofold. First, the plan is to cut the $1 million field expansion/renovation. Second, $600,000 in “value engineering” will be cut across the entire project. The attitude from the committee was that SMMS would have to take some cuts (like the other schools), so the positive aspect of this proposal is that we can now work with the District, the city, and sports partners to fundraise to get the field built.
Here is a breakdown of the Facilities Subcommittee’s recommendations to the school board for the Facilities Master Plan as it relates to the Sierra Madre Middle School campus:
$33,000,000 Current Facilities Master Plan budget, $30,921,355 Targeted Facilities Master Plan budget, $32,087,400 Revised Facilities Master Plan budget, $2,766,045 over budget, $1,600,000 reduction/cuts <–projected savings Two proposed cuts are: Delete regrade of play field $1,000,000, Value Engineering throughout $600,000 What will be included at the Middle School: 4 Classrooms are back (Chinese dual immersion program (currently beginning 4th grade at Field Elementary) will move to Sierra Madre Middle School in 2 years), 20 Classrooms total, 2 science labs, Computer lab, Cafe/Multi-purpose Room building, Library, Gym, 2 alternate/flexible use classrooms, New Parking and onsite drop off, New electrical to site.
The revised FMP also had cuts to the Sierra Madre Elementary campus. The $909,389 in cuts were as previously proposed with no changes. SME will not get the upgrades/renovations to the Auditorium (stage, lighting) and Kitchen. The SME field project (field house and bathrooms) has also been cut. Still moving forward: the PreK and 4th/5th classroom wing (in construction now) and the HVAC for the Auditorium. Overall, while we are not happy about these proposed cuts, but our priority has been the Middle School project. We are very happy that the Auditorium will receive the much-needed A/C! The project is funded at $4.7 million.

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