BSD on track with 2018 projects
New construction and renovation are underway
Burton School District will have a busy 2018, as they plan to finish construction on a tenth school site, renovate an existing one, and introduce a new nutrition program that will benefit the entire community.
Construction is proceeding on schedule and without incident for the district’s newest elementary school site across the street from Summit Charter Collegiate Academy. They plan to have the school finished and ready for students by Fall of this year.
Tracy Tucker, BSD’S director of maintenance, said that water was connected before winter break, and the site will be connected to city sewer within two to three weeks.
The district also plans to decide this year how they will use their newlyacquired Masonic Lodge property on West Henderson. Since purchasing the property late last year, the district has used the facility for staff training, but they have also received requests from the community to make the facility available to rent for events.
The property is currently in good working order, but Tucker said they are currently freshening up the exterior with landscape upgrades and a new irrigation system.
BSD plans to discuss names for both the new elementary school and the Masonic Lodge property at their upcoming board meeting on Jan.16.
BSD will spend some of their bond money on a new roof and HVAC units at Oak Grove Elementary. Tucker said they hope to begin the bid process by the middle of February, and that the project faces a tight timeline as work cannot begin until school is out and must be completed by the time classes resume in the Fall.
In addition to brick and mortar improvements, the district will be partnering with Fresno Community Food Bank to begin a farmer’s market on Jan. 26.
The event will be held on the fourth Friday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their Masonic Lodge property on the northwest corner of Henderson and Westwood, and will give out bags of food to any community members who attend.
Irene Ortega, BSD’S communication and community engagement officer, wants to promote the event to the community as nutrition awareness by preparing recipe cards to accompany the foods given out each month, and also hopes to have students from Burton Horizon Academy’s culinary arts program preparing food at the event.
In response to the positive reception of last year’s anti-bullying town hall meeting, BSD plans to host more such events featuring advice and input from law enforcement professionals, including an internet safety meeting right before summer break. Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, who was part of the professional panel at the anti-bullying meeting, has offered to do a similar presentation on human trafficking this year.
To address their shortage of substitute teachers, the district will be hosting a mixer at the end of February to recruit candidates.
“We want to educate people about it. There may be stay-at-home moms who have [the requirements] they need to substitute and may want to come and sub a day or two during the week,” said Ortega.