CLEARFIELD – School officials have continued their ongoing monitoring of the building conditions at the Bradford Township Elementary School, Superintendent Dr. Thomas B. Otto announced at the combined committee and board meeting of the Clearfield school board.
“Not to cause any undue alarm, but we need to make sure the environment is safe for our staff and students,” he said. School principal Mary Michael Sayers added students would be moved out of one area of the building strictly for precautionary purposes.
Rick Bunning, director of buildings and grounds, said the progression of the floor conditions is being monitored. According to him, something new catches his attention each time he visits the building. However, he didn’t have any major issues to report since a June 3 monitoring visit.
Otto passed around recent photos of the conditions at school to board members.
The 30,814-square foot building was originally constructed in 1930 with additions and alterations in 1962 and again in 1983. A roof replacement and parking lot expansion project was completed in 2008, and exterior stairs and a handicap ramp addition were added in 2009.
According to previous reports by the architect, the building’s major issue is with its structure in its original, single-story 1930’s section, which was constructed from wood. The wooden joists have spalled, rotted and or failed in some locations and are shimmed at bearing locations.
Steel joists for reinforcement to support the floor were added in 1962. Additional reinforcement to the original building consists of beams, concrete piers and foundation, masonry piers, wood bracing, steel and wood posts.
The district initiated an ongoing monitoring program to measure the deflection in the floor structure, in addition to any sudden changes in the floor movement at the school.
Last month, the board approved expanding the Clearfield Area High School into grades seven through twelve. However, the board didn’t vote on the fate of any of the district’s elementary school buildings. Bradford Township Elementary School currently houses kindergarten through grade four.