Photo by Catherine Stachowiak
Richard Rhodes, Superintendent of South Fork Union School District told the Kern Valley Sun, Thursday about changes and upgrades happening at the district’s school facilities.
He said the district plans to upgrade the elementary school facility soon. New paint trim has almost been completed on the school this summer.
The district wants to re-do the insides of the campus, re-do some roofing, and replace some of the swamp coolers with HVAC units. “You can tell it’s an older facility. But they’re trying to perk it up and clean it up a little bit,” said Rhodes
The district is considering trying to paint the basketball hoops and playground courts. The district also wants to repair or replace a fire control system, fix the cafeteria and put upgrades to the secretary room. The school also needs some electrical upgrades
The district is advertising for architect services and construction management for about $7 million worth up upgrades at the Elementary school site.
Bids close on July29. Rhodes said the district is trying to get the architectural work and planning phase done by January, to go out to bid by March so contractors could get the work done by next summer.
Rhodes goal is for the the middle school to eventually have covered parking on campus and a green house for kids to have fresh vegetables for a salad bar.
The music program is being expanded at the middle school, with violin lessons taught by a championship fiddle player, Trudy Mock.
At South Fork Middle School the track and the soccer fields, the softball field, and baseball field have been upgraded. Rhodes said that board members of the district did a lot of work on the ball fields themselves.
October 1 is the goal to get the fields ready to be used, and the entire community will be allowed to use the ball fields, according to Rhodes.
The middle school also now has a new chain link fence to keep kids from running out into the parking lot when chasing after balls from the play area.
“We’re trying to do good things for the kids,” Rhodes said.
