High School renovation on schedule

Workers began installing new floor tile June 30 in the hallway of the 3rd floor west section of New Richmond High School.

The renovation of New Richmond High School remains on schedule despite discovering more asbestos that had to be removed on the partial walls above the hallway lockers.

"They (Central Insulation Systems) came in over the weekend to remove those walls so it did not put the project behind," said New Richmond superintendent Tom Durbin during his daily inspection on Wednesday, June 30.

Central Insulation finished removing asbestos removal on the 3rd floor east section this week and Durbin is waiting for an air quality report before that area is released to contractors who are on a Aug. 19 deadline to install new floors, electrical wiring, lighting and ceilings on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the high school.

The additonal asbestos removal added $18,489 to the cost of the two-year project which remains more than $460,000 under estimates.

Board of Education member Fred Heflin (left)gets a progress report from superintendent Tom Durbin (right). In the background is Jeff Platt, project superintendent for general contractor Kramer and Feldman.

Monroe Earth Spirit Week

Paper or plastic? Monroe Elementary students wore both and more recycables during the school's Earth Spirit Week coordinated by art teacher Adrian Hawk, who had the students and teachers wearing their environmental messages. Adrian also made sure no colorful dress went unnoticed and provided the photos for this slideshow video.

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Superintendent Durbin retiring Aug. 31

New Richmond superintendent of schools Tom Durbin submitted his resignation at Thursday's School Board meeting for the purposes of retirement effective August 31, 2010.

"My plan is to go home, mow grass, cut wood, go to the Shoe for football, and prepare my road ponies for the 2011 show season," Durbin said Friday in an email to the New Richmond staff informing them of his decision to retire.

"My health is fine other than I am getting older," Durbin said in his email. "My plan is to remain in the district until everything is moved back into the high school for the start of the school year."


During Durbin's tenure as superintendent, which began in 2005, the district's cash balance has increased by $6,012,425 from $11,692,064 in 2005 to $17,704,489 in 2010. In the area of academics, the district has gone from meeting 18 of 23 possible indicators in 2004 to meeting all 26 indicators in the upcoming 2010 Ohio Achievement Test assessment results.

“I’m extremely proud of our administrators and staff,” Durbin told the board. “If the information is accurate, which I believe it to be, every building will be rated excellent and the district may receive an Excellent with Distinction rating.”

Durbin also supervised the planning and renovation of the high school, which is in its final stages this summer and next.

"The high school will be renovated for approximately $4.2 million which is approximately 10% of what a new building would cost," Durbin said in his letter to the school board.

Durbin's letter to the Board of Education follows:

June 17, 2010

NREVSD Board of Education
212 Market Street
New Richmond, OH 45157

Members of the NREVSD Board of Education,

When I was hired as Superintendent of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District, the members of the board of education gave me card that listed seven items labeled “current issues, objectives & challenges”. These became my priorities and the focus of my work as superintendent. As you are aware, I have kept that card on my desk and have continually made references to it in my daily work. I have worked diligently throughout my tenure as superintendent to meet the major items on that list.

The first item on the card is financial issues. The five year forecast that was based on May 16, 2005 listed $11,692,064 as the cash balance on June 30 of fiscal year 2004. The most recent five-year forecast approved by the board of education on May 14, 2010 lists the cash balance for June 30 of fiscal year 2009 as $17,704,489. Over the past five years that cash balance has increased by $6,012,425!

The second item on the card listed academic issues. The Local Report Card for the 2004/2005 school year shows the district meeting 18 of the 23 possible indicators. During my first year (school year 2005/2006) as superintendent the district met 23 of the 25 indicators, for the 2006/2007 school the district met 25 of the 30 indicators and for each of those years the district was rated as Effective. The Local Report Card for the 2007/2008 school year shows the district met 29 of the 30 possible indicators and received an Excellent rating from the Ohio Department of Education. The 2008/2009 Local Report Card shows the district met 28 of the 30 possible indicators and received the second Excellent rating on the Local Report Card. This year our preliminary data shows the district has met 26 of the 26 possible indicators and every building has met every indicator. If the information is accurate, which I believe it to be, every building will be rated excellent and the district may receive an Excellent with Distinction rating!

Instill/enforce individual accountability/responsibilities was the third item on the list. Every administrator’s evaluation will indicate that he/she has been held accountable through the evaluation process. The administrators have also held building personnel accountable for performance through the same process. As a result, all employees know and understand that they are responsible for their individual performance as defined in job descriptions and documented on appraisals.

Item number four (4) on the card listed high school renovations. During the past five years the high school façade has been replaced which included new walls, windows, and ventilator units at a cost of approximately $2.2 million dollars. Currently the high school is undergoing a renovation of the interior rooms which includes removal of asbestos contained in the ceiling and floor tiles. Classroom lights are also being replaced and the estimated cost will be around $2 million when the project is completed. The high school will be renovated for approximately $4.2 which is approximately 10% of what a new building would cost.

While I am extremely proud of the accomplishments listed above, I am most proud of improving educational outcomes for all students during my tenure. All my decisions are made in the best interest of students. I value the compliment I received from a former board member when she recognized that my decisions are always based on what is good and right for kids.

I have truly enjoyed working with the students, teachers, instructional aides, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, secretaries, maintenance staff, and the administrators to make the improvements that were necessary to accomplish the items listed above.

Please accept this letter as my resignation from the position of Superintendent of Schools for the New Richmond Exempted Village School District for the purposes of retirement effective August 31, 2010. I expect my severance package to reflect what is indicated in my contract and as amended on January 28, 2008.

I appreciate having the opportunity and privilege of serving the students of the New Richmond Exempted Village District. I leave my career in education knowing that with high expectations and when the adults create the right conditions, every child can and WILL learn .

Sincerely,


Thomas D. Durbin

Monroe Elementary's 2010 Field Day

Monroe Elementary held its 2010 Field Day May 27. Click on the play button below to watch a video slideshow of the day.

Click here to download a copy of the slideshow.

Locust Corner's 2010 Field Day

Locust Corner Elementary held its 2010 Field Day May 27. Click on the play button below to watch a video slideshow of the day.

Click here to download the LCE Field Day slideshow

Jacob the Peacock goes to school

Jacob, the Village of New Richmond's peacock, returned to the Market Street School Building June 16. The roof of the Market Street School was one of his favorite roosting spots during the winter months and now Jacob likes to look at his reflection in the building's glass doors.

NRHS renovation update

Work crews from Central Insulation Systems have removed the ceiling and flooring from the west end of the third floor at New Richmond High School and electrical crews from United Electric have moved in to begin rewiring that portion of the building.

The first phase of the $977,000 project calls for asbestos removal and new floors, ceilings, wiring and lighting on the second and third floors of the original high school building constructed in 1965. Work is scheduled to be completed Aug. 19, four days before the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

A worker from Central Insulation checks lockers for dust after the floors and ceilings on the west end of the third floor were removed to get rid of asbestos. Electricians from United Electric move in June 16 to begin rewiring the first area of the high school cleared of asbestos. Each classroom in the original part of the high school is getting new electric wiring and lighting to go with new flooring and dropped ceilings.
Central Insulation has begun removing asbestos from the west end of the second floor of the high school.

2010 NRE Field Day

New Richmond Elementary held its field day May 26. Click on the play button to watch a video slideshow of the day.

New Richmond honors retiring teachers

New Richmond Elementary School lost 66 years of teaching experience when Bonnie Faubion and Jan Gemma hugged their students for the last time May 27 and walked out of their classrooms.

Faubion retired after 36 years with New Richmond schools and Gemma after 30 years in the district. Both spent much of their careers teaching kindergarten.
“The last day was hard,” said Gemma. “It was hard because the children are very special to me and I was giving them hugs and it was very difficult.”

“Mrs. Gemma is one of the most caring individuals I have come across in my 20 years in education. She exhibited a keen sensitivity to the needs of her students,” said New Richmond Elementary principal Gary Combs.


“I’m hoping for some grandchildren and I want to be there for them and by two children are spread out and I want to be able to visit them,” said Gemma for her reason for retiring.

“I’m not going to tell you that,” said Faubion when asked her age when she started teaching. “I didn’t start to college until my son was in kindergarten. A friend invited me to go to school with her so I started and took one class and then two and then three and kept on going.”

Faubion taught for 36 years, one year at Monroe Elementary and 35 at New Richmond Elementary. She was a fixture in the elementary during her tenure, rarely missing a day. Not even an attack by a pit bull kept her out of her classroom the last two weeks of the school year.

The dog attacked her outside her home and bit her on the upper arm. Thinking fast, she noticed the dog had both a collar and a choker and grabbed the choker to hold off the dog.

“I was lucky enough to have my cell phone, so I held the choker with one hand and dialed911 with my other hand,” said Faubion. “A deputy sheriff finally came and called the animal shelter and they were going to euthanize it (May 27).”

“Mrs. Faubion will be sorely missed at NRE. Her knowledge base and teaching skills were a definite asset to our students,” said Combs. “It was a pleasure to be able to work both of our retiring teachers at New Richmond Elementary.”

Faubion saved her toughness for stray dogs. In the classroom, she was a loving, caring teacher who passed out her share of hugs during her 36 years.

“In my early years I may have carried a student or two to the office,” she said. “I love teaching, but I started having health problems this year and started missing days and one day I just came to the conclusion, ‘It’s time to go.’”


The two retiring teachers were honored at a reception at the school. Among those attending were Todd Wells, assistant principal at the Genesis School in Williamsburg, and his daughter, Mady.

“My very first year teaching I had Todd in 5th grade at Monroe, and my last year I had Mady, his daughter, in kindergarten,” said Gemma.

“Mrs. Gemma was a very special teacher to me and she was a very special teacher to my daughter,” said Wells.

NRHS bids $482,000 under estimates

There were a lot of smiles at the last meeting of the New Richmond Board of Education, which, like most school districts, is facing tight budget decisions.

“The bids for the high school renovation project came in at $482,800 under estimates,” explained New Richmond superintendent Tom Durbin.

New Richmond superintendent Tom Durbin inspects the condition of doors removed from classrooms with a worker from Kramer and Feldman, the general contractor for the high school renovation. The doors will be refinished as part of the project.

The board awarded contracts totaling $977,700 for the two-year renovation project which includes removal of asbestos, new floors, ceilings, electric, lighting and cabinets in the original part of the high school which opened in 1965. Work on the second and third floors is scheduled this summer with the lower floors for the summer of 2011.

“We are very pleased that bids came in well under estimates,” said Durbin. “This will allow us to continue to look at ways to make improvements throughout the district.”

Durbin jump started the project by having the district’s custodial and maintenance staff clear the 2nd and 3rd floors and move the high school offices to the Graduation Academy at the Market Street School building on May 28. Work began June 1.

“Now the tough part is to get it done,” said Durbin. “We’re on a tight time line. We plan to move back in from Aug. 19 to the 22 and be open by the 23rd.”

Workers from Central Insulation Systems work behind a sealed off area of the high school to remove asbestos from ceilings and floors.

Kramer and Feldman was awarded the general contract for $472,373 (estimated at $785,000); Central Insulation Systems the asbestos removal contract for $297,327 (estimated at $435,000); and United Electric the electrical contract for $208,000 (estimated at $267,000). Mechanical work estimated at $62,500 is being re-bid after only one bid ($93,300) was received.

“I think it’s the results of good planning, clarity in the bid documents and understanding of the work that needed to be done,” said school board member David Painter. “The economy also had something to do with it.”

In addition to the new floors, ceilings and lights, the high school classrooms and offices will be getting new wall cabinets, refinished doors and new fixtures for the science labs and art rooms.

Rooms in the newer areas of the high school not affected by the asbestos removal are being used to store classroom materials. Athletic director Doug Foote and assistant Kathy Scholz shared their office with art room material on the last day of school.

The asbestos is being removed in sections so the general and electrical contractors can move in a completed section and begin work once air quality samples are taken and the area is approved for workers.

“All the work will be inside so the weather will not be a factor like it was when we replaced the façade of the high school,” said Durbin. “But it’s still a tight schedule.”


Maintenance crews from New Richmond's six buildings moved the contents of classrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the high school to the cafeteria. They will have three days to get the building ready for the opening of school on Aug. 23 if the project is completed on time on Aug. 19.

Ashley Lewis honored for attendance

New Richmond Middle School honored Ashley Lewis on the last day of the school year for her record of perfect attendance from kindergarten through the 8th grade. She is pictured with NRMS principal Adam Bird and guidance counselor Terry Miller.

Monroe 4th quarter awards breakfast

Monroe Elementary held its 4th quarter awards breakfast May 14, 2010. Click on the picture below to watch the video or right click on the link below and select Save Target As to download a copy.


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