Millions of dollars of renovations, repairs at Columbia schools to be completed during summer

Members of the Columbia Public School District’s board of education will vote Monday night to add more repair work at schools during the summer.

Several renovations and repairs have already started, such as flooring upgrades at New Haven Elementary and renovations at Douglass and Rock Bridge high schools.

Michelle Baumstark, community relations director for Columbia Public Schools, said the larger projects going on over the summer are the Douglass High School renovations, Rock Bridge High School stadium renovations, a Grant Elementary addition and flooring upgrades at New Haven Elementary.

The current costs for those projects total about $19.47 million.

Other projects that the BOE is expected to vote on Monday night include the removal and replacement of flooring at Derby Ridge Elementary, new countertops at Gentry Middle and New Haven Elementary and sidewalk repairs at three different schools.

The cost for those projects totals about $40,000.

Some of the other summer projects are a part of the district’s long-term goal to discontinue the use of trailers as classrooms.

A few trailers will be removed from New Haven, Derby Ridge and Mill Creek elementary schools.