Construction/Bond Issues
Key Middle School will stay open after unanimous HISD board vote
By HISD
May 15, 2008, 07:26

 
Work on new chiller for air conditioning, new windows from bond issue will be sped up.

May 14, 2008 - Key Middle School will stay open and renovations already planned under the new school construction bond program will be sped up to have the building in top condition for the next school year after anHISD school board vote today. 
            The board voted unanimously to approve Superintendent
Abelardo Saavedra's recommendation to keep Key Middle School open and to direct that up to $3 million in renovations approved by voters last November in the bond issue election be expedited. 
            HISD closed Key last fall after some teachers reported
feeling ill in the building. The Centers for Disease Control was called
in to inspect the school after independent air quality experts and the
city of Houston had found no significant air quality issues. The CDC
reported that "damp building syndrome" might be the problem at Key. The CDC, in a letter to HISD on October 17, 2007, reported it found
"isolated" microbial growth. After HISD moved the Key Middle School students and staff two miles away to Fleming Middle School, the district completed $3 million worth of renovations.

            The school board Wednesday gave the superintendent
authorization to move forward with some of the further renovations at
Key that were planned as part of the new $805 million HISD school
construction and renovation bond program. Under the plan, Key would
receive up to $3 million for new windows throughout the school and a new 315-ton chiller unit for the air conditioning system. The proposal also would fund electric reheat coils for the air handlers serving the
auditorium to further improve the performance of the air conditioning
system. 

            After students and staff were relocated last fall to
Fleming, HISD made improvements to Key Middle School, including:

            * Removal of carpeting -- New vinyl flooring was installed
in some places, and new anti-microbial carpeting was installed in the
library and music rooms;

            * New insulation installed around piping;

            * Replacement of all water damaged ceiling tiles;

            * All unit ventilators were cleaned and disinfected by
outside contractors;

            * Air conditioning repair -- Repair of the 350-ton York
chiller by an outside contractor;

            * Repairs to cooling tower;

            * Inspections of heating, ventilation and air conditioning
equipment - Completed by outside contractors, including inspections of
unit ventilators, piping, air handlers, and the mechanical plant;

            * Pressure washing and cleaning of exteriors of buildings;

            * Cleaning and disinfecting of all classrooms and surface
areas, by HISD custodial staff;

            * Discarding of all excess paper, deodorizers and plants;

            * Replacement of all textbooks and library books;

            * New land grading -- Site modifications were performed to
allow for better drainage away from the buildings;

            * Repainting

            Key students returned to their home school after Spring
Break this year at the request of the principal and the community.