[KHTS] – Here’s a roundup of items the Hart School Board tackled at its meeting Wednesday.

Will Jones of Valencia High School is the student board member for 2015-16.

New Student Board Member

A senior at Valencia High School was introduced as the 2015/16 Student Board Member for the Hart School District at Wednesday’s meeting.

Will Jones has been elected as the 2015/16 Student Board Member.

High school representatives serving on the Student Communications Council elect one high school member of the council each year to serve as the non-voting member of the governing board.

Jones is Valencia High School’s senior class vice president, captain of the parliamentary debate team, a member of the mock trial team and was the school’s delegate for Boy’s State. He has been a Boy Scout since sixth grade and is working to become an Eagle Scout.

Budget Changes to Canyon High School Auditorium Project

The Hart School District governing board also made some changes to the budget for the Canyon High School Auditorium project.

An additional $56,246 increase was approved for materials testing and special inspections services for the project.

On May 20, the governing board approved a fee amendment for Geo-Advantec, Inc. for testing and inspections for the Canyon High School Auditorium project, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

Production of structural steel for the project was drawn out beyond the general contractor’s schedule and beyond the budgeted hours for inspection due to scheduling conflicts and challenges at the subcontractor’s steel fabrication facilities, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

The Canyon High School Auditorium project was proposed as a three phase project:

Phase I included the auditorium building, shoring and retaining walls, fire lanes and flatwork.

Phase II picks up parking lot improvements including Division of the State Architect required accessible parking spaces, signage and path of travel.

Phase III will include work at Building ‘Q’.

The reduction of cost from Phase II was also approved by the governing board.

The original proposal for Phase II was $560,276, however facilities staff worked to find savings to reduce the proposed change order to $309,993, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

These amendments do not change the expected completion date of Jan. 31, 2016, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

Shade Structures at Sierra Vista Junior High Approved

Shade structures for Sierra Vista Junior High School were also unanimously approved at Wednesday’s meeting.

The proposed scope of the work for Sierra Vista Junior High School is:

One 30’ x 30’ Mariner Quad structure by the gymnasium.

Three 14’ x 14’ single post structures by the gymnasium entrance.

District staff has completed planning for the Sierra Vista Junior High School shade structures and is prepared to go to formal design, Division of the State Architect submittal, fabrication and construction, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

The total estimated cost of the proposal is $84,384.81.

In April 2014, the Santa Clarita Valley Facilities Foundation provided the district with a donation of $1,000,000 for installation of shade structures district-wide.

The Governing Board approved the district-wide Shade Structure program to Shade Structures, Inc. on July 22, 2015. The program is divided into three approved phases:

Phase I: Golden Valley High School, West Ranch High School.

Phase II: Arroyo Seco Junior High School, Sierra Vista Junior High School, Saugus High School.

Phase III: Placerita Junior High School, Bowman High School, Canyon High School, La Mesa Junior High School, Sequoia School.

The approval of shade structures at Saugus High School was on Wednesday’s agenda as well, however the governing board postponed the item until their next meeting on Oct. 21, 2015.

Science Lab Renovations Coming to Valencia High School

The Hart School District governing board also authorized the solicitation of bids and selection of a contractor for the Valencia High School science lab renovations project.

In April 2014, the governing board approved science lab renovations to meet the need of science classroom space and additional laboratories at Valencia High School, according to Wednesday’s agenda.

These improvements included three additional portable classrooms, renovations to existing classroom interiors and upgrades to the interior core of the science building.

A construction budget of $900,000 was approved by the governing board for these renovations.

Renovations will provide updated technology and additional floor space for teaching.

The scope of work for the two existing science labs include the removal of the teaching walls which will be replaced with two 70-inch flat screen TV’s with a 10-foot-wide markerboard in-between.

New vinyl composite tile, or VCT, flooring will replace the existing laminate flooring.

The scope of work for the interior core includes the removal of existing cabinetry and casework in the labs, which will be replaced with new modular science lab furniture, along with desks and high-back stools to seat 40 students.

Upgrades to plumbing, electrical and data is included along with new VCT flooring, painting and refinishing of the wall surfaces.

Once the general contractor and construction cost have been approved, the work will be awarded.

The expected completion date for the science lab renovations is Jan. 11, 2016.