SEQUIM — The Sequim School Board was got a glimpse of what its new central kitchen will look like at a recent board meeting.
The district’s new kitchen is steadily moving toward its new space at the northwest corner of the Community School, tentatively set to be finished by October.
The Vanir Construction Management team gave a brief overview of the project’s timeline at the June 18 board meeting and noted permit drawings were submitted to the city of Sequim on June 1.
The project is moving toward its abatement phase, set to start in July.
Vanir representatives said an abatement walk-through was performed and contract bids for abatement are out and should be determined soon. Abatement will first take place in the kitchen, followed by demolition and then renovation of the new kitchen.
New roof structure, kitchen equipment, and freezer are planned with a design that is said to efficiently tie in with future school construction, Vanir representatives said.
The full site structure deconstruction is set to start between late August and September, with the new kitchen tentatively up and running by October.
Vanir representatives said deconstruction will be completed between October and November.
Board member Brandino Gibson asked if the playground next to the Community School will be impacted at any time during the project. He was told it might be at some point during abatement but it would not be closed off for long.
Board member Jim Stoffer noted that a project of this size has not been seen in the district for a long time.
“For this district, this is a very big priority,” he said.
In an interview, Superintendent Gary Neal said the district has purchased eight portables from Central Kitsap School District. Neal said the district purchased the eight portables from Kitsap for $800 total with an estimated moving cost of $140,000.
“Central Kitsap had a surplus of some items,” Neal said.
Neal said part of the capital project levy money has been allotted to the cost of purchasing and moving the portables. The portables are tentatively set to be moved in July to the site near Olympic Peninsula Academy (OPA) where five double sized portables and one single will be housed.
Neal said the primary purpose of these portables is to house the 100 OPA students in the five double portables and provide an office space for the school in the one single.
The district is going through the steps for city permitting to place the portables near OPA. Neal said the two extra double portables are tentatively to be placed at both Helen Haller Elementary School and Greywolf Elementary School. The two doubles can supposedly house two classrooms, Neal said, which will open two more classroom spaces for both elementary schools.
Some of the furniture in the Kitsap portables, such as desks, may be repurposed for Sequim students, Neal added. He said a date has not been set to place the two extra portables at the elementary schools.
The board is expected to decide if it will roll over or extend Neal’s superintendent contract to 2021 by the end of the month.
The next board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday, July 16, at the district boardroom, 503 N. Sequim Ave.
