From left, Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education President Paul Abbott, and Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker discuss business Tuesday. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

The upgrading of the second floor at Jamestown High School is progressing smoothly.

That’s the word from Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker.

In August JPS Director of Buildings and Grounds and Transportation Carl Pillittieri told board members there are three buildings in which the district has projects: The Raymond J. Fashano Tech Academy, Milton J. Fletcher Elementary School, and the Jamestown High School. All projects are designed to be in multiple phases.

Pillittieri said in August crews at the tech academy and Fletcher Elementary were in the second phase of the schools’ two-phase summer project, and crews at JHS were in the midst of phase one of the school’s three-phase summer project.

Whitaker said many second-floor rooms at JHS have been upgraded into new rooms, and those are now in use while other rooms move into rotation for upgrades.

“The shift has occurred from the old rooms that were turned into new rooms,” Whitaker said.

Here is a breakdown of the three projects:

— Tech Academy work included replacing windows, installing stairway railings, installing new floors, replacing a fire alarm, adding a backup generator, updating the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, and installing new furniture.

— At Fletcher, construction crews were replacing 75% of the school’s roof, replacing steam boilers, replacing unit ventilators, replacing floors in the cafeteria corridor, cafeteria, kitchen, and library, replacing rooftop units, adding a HVAC chiller, and adding a backup generator. Crews also will be working on 20 classrooms in the old wing — nine on the first floor, and 11 on the second floor, replacing unit ventilator outside air dampers, installing four pipe unit ventilators in classrooms to provide heating and air conditioning, installing convectors in classrooms to balance heat in the rooms and provide dehumidification when needed, installing structural steel and three new rooftop units, replacing HVAC ducts in corridors and classrooms, and replacing ceilings in corridors.

— At JHS, crews are replacing 50% of the roof, renovating the second floor, renovating the Information Services Department, renovating the receiving and custodial area, abating and sealing the cafeteria floor, adding new furniture for the second floor, repairing auditorium ceiling, and repairing pool gutter drains. Second floor renovation includes, Pillittieri said, demolishing and reconstructing classrooms, bathrooms, and the faculty room, installing ducts in anticipation of new HVAC equipment, replacing floors, replacing ceilings, and replacing lockers.

“We finally have the pool turned over to us from our construction folks. The pool was in dire need of upgrades,” Whitaker said. “We should have everything back online before the (boys) season starts in November.”

And Board President Paul Abbott wanted to dispel any rumors that JPS is just using the pool as a storgae area.

“I choose not to address school district matters on social media,” Abbott said. “I thought it was important that Dr. Whitaker make clear that there is no intention to change anything about our swimming program. We simply needed to fix a pool that’s pretty old, and it needed to be renewed.”

In other business the board updated its teachers on special assignment (TOSA) policy.

Whitaker said the update essentially aligns with the previous policy.

“We’re not doing some different type of TOSA,” Whitaker said. “We’re doing the same kind of TOSA with different responsibilities. It’s more of an effort to say ‘nothing different here, except for the duties.'”

Whitaker said TOSAs play a support role in some of the district’s schools.

“They’re on special assignment to assist teachers with (class) behavior issues, (class) management issues, and school management issues,” Whitaker said.

TOSAs are one-year assignments, and teachers can reapply each year, Whitaker said.