Facilities Department getting Seward Elementary ready for fall

This is the first in a series of stories that highlights what's going in all seven Auburn school buildings during the summer.

Students and teachers may not be in classrooms during July and August but the Auburn Enlarged City School District’s Facilities Department is busy during the summer making sure buildings are cleaned and ready for the new school year.

Capital improvement projects are progressing throughout the district but there’s more going on that you should be aware of.

Over the summer, we want to keep you informed on what’s happening in all seven school buildings, even the ones that don’t have active capital improvement projects.

The first building we want to spotlight is Seward Elementary School. Driving by Seward you see its big capital improvement project underway outside the building as a new parent drop-off area on the west side of the grounds is being constructed.

A new stop sign will be placed at the intersection of Metcalf Avenue and Mary Street and a new entrance for cars will be constructed in front of the Pop Warner football fields. Parking will not be allowed on Metcalf to increase visibility and improve safety. As part of the new drop-off area, a 80-car parking lot is being constructed.

A dead willow tree will be taken down near the bus drop-off area and that loop will also be repaved with new sidewalks and catch basins. The faculty parking lot and driving lanes are also being repaved.

There’s a lot of activity inside the building as well. New doors and frames will be installed on the building’s south side, near the gym, which had its floor replaced last year.

Custodians are busy cleaning classrooms which includes stripping and waxing floors, shampooing carpets and rugs and removing dust and grime from walls, windows and the gym rafters.

After all cleaning and disinfecting has been finished, custodians will set up, organize and make sure the building is set up for normal operations.