Menlo Park school trustees start a busy year Menlo Park school trustees start a busy year (September 08, 2004)

** Costs increase for district office remodel, addition.

By Marjorie Mader
Almanac Staff Writer

Back in business after the summer break, trustees of the Menlo Park City School District received an update on what's happened since school closed, and a preview of what's ahead.

Trustees will have a full plate from all indications at the lengthy board meeting August 31.

Heading the list is the remodeling and addition to the district office that has bogged down due to spiraling costs and an unfavorable bidding climate, according to Superintendent Ken Ranella.

Ahead are study sessions that will focus on meaty topics of interest to teachers and parents. They include looking at the district's remedial programs for students; the kindergarten study, including the two all-day pilot kindergartens at Oak Knoll; and a review of counseling and support systems for students.

There are more topics ahead, such as teacher-training initiatives, and evaluation of the new enrichment program to be held at schools on the afternoons of the five parent-teacher conference days. This program, offered by Galileo Educational Services with funds from the Menlo-Atherton Education Foundation, begins October 11 at Oak Knoll.

High bids

Superintendent Ranella reported the total cost of the district office construction project now is budgeted at $1.17 million, a 16 percent increase over the estimates. While trustees at the meeting approved 11 contracts -- from carpentry to electrical, about $670,000 worth -- the superintendent said nine more contracts must be re-bid for an estimated cost of $171,000. The proposed completion date was January 2005.

The earlier bids were "so unbelievably high," said Trustee Nancy Serrurier after the meeting that it was decided to use the district's construction managers RGM of Fremont to save the overhead of a general contractor.

"The bidding climate," she said, "is as bad as it was in 1998 when we went out to bid the Laurel (School) project" -- the first of the district's renovation and modernization projects financed by the 1995 bond measure. Apparently, there are only a limited number of contractors interested in bidding on small projects, she said.

Mr. Ranella told trustees that he and RGM are reviewing the plans and specifications to consider deductions that will not impact the overall scope of the project. He also has authorized RGM to negotiate with contractors to find other reductions in cost within the scope of the laws governing public bidding.

Copier costs

Trustees also confirmed a new contract negotiated during the summer that will provide up-to-date copier services at all schools on a four-year lease.

The district's technology specialist Jim Bowlby gave trustees an in-depth study of the copier problems at the schools, with aging equipment and nine service contracts with four different firms.

The new contract with Lanier Worldwide Inc. is for $15,500 quarterly -- totaling $248,427 for four years. Mr. Bowlby said the district would save money, get new all-digital copiers with new features, and "everybody will be happy."

Another new contract provides for modernization of restrooms at Laurel and Oak Knoll schools, at a cost of about $143,900.

Tech consultant

Trustees also gave the go-ahead to hiring an independent consultant Deneen Frazier Bowen of Austin, Texas, to assist the district in developing a clear direction and rationale for integrating technology into the district's instructional program.

Ms. Bowen has experience working in private and public schools, business and universities. She will appraise the use of technology in the district, and present a written document.

Trustees agreed it's a first step toward developing a vision and action plan for use of technology as a tool within the curriculum.

E-mail Marjorie Mader at mmader@AlmanacNews.com

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