School bond would improve Fritsch Elementary

The bathroom at Fritsch Elementary School looks much the same as it did in 1966 when the last improvements were made to the school. The narrow stalls are separated by pale blue plywood walls and a stone fountain sink stands in the middle.

"This is the kind of sink you'd see in a prison," said Mike Mitchell, director of operations for the Carson City School District. "Obviously, a person in a wheelchair could not use it."

Mitchell pointed out that not only is the bathroom and the other bathrooms in the building outdated but they do not comply with the standards set up by the American Disabilities Act.

Remodeling the bathrooms is just one of the $1.3 million worth of projects on the list of improvements set for Fritsch Elementary School if the district passes the proposed $18 million bond in this year's election.

The condition of the bathrooms is not the only problem, getting there is also difficult.

The wing which houses kindergarten through second grades does not have a bathroom, so students must walk outside then enter the nearest wing to use the restroom.

"There's no control because they're outside of the building," Mitchell said. "That's a big security concern."

To solve the problem, Mitchell said the bond would pay to build a corridor to connect the wings.

The bond would also be used to replace the outdated windows.

"These windows were put in in 1954 with 1954 technology," Mitchell said.

The single-pane windows are uninsulated and the putty holding them in is deteriorating so many of the windows are duct taped together.

"They're energy hogs," Mitchell said. "The heat just goes out them in the winter and just barrels through them in the summer."

He said the type of windows in the school are not legal to install anymore. The bond would replace them all with dual-pane, insulated windows.

With insulated windows, the school would also be ready to install an air-conditioning system.

Now each classroom is equipped with an individual furnace and ventilation system. Mitchell wants to replace the individual furnaces with one centralized system in the attic.

The temperature will also be centrally regulated instead of each teacher determining the temperature for the individual classrooms.

Mitchell said central control has saved energy costs by a third in other schools.

"We save about $200,000 a year in reduced energy," he said. "That part of the bond is almost self-paying."

The bond is not expected to raise taxes. However, if it is not approved, taxes would go down. The cost of the bond is about $39 for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Other proposed projects include replacing sidewalks, relocating the administrative office and replacing doors.

Mitchell pointed out one door that did not open and shut properly.

"We've welded it and we've replaced the jamb," he said. "We just can't fix it anymore, it has to be replaced."

The doors, which are largely windows, will be replaced with doors with one high window to increase security.