April showers bring May summer projects to SMIS. We’re gearing up to make our facilities more “green.” Below are updates we’re REALLY GONNA DO!

Earmarked Cash Donations
Your window on the SMIS Campus: SMIS will replace at least 27 window sashes in the Main Building in June (2008). There are 335 obsolete windows throughout the campus. The average installed cost for a new window will be $740. SMIS has received two grants totaling $20,000 for this summer’s replacements. That’s a good start, and we welcome individual donations to expand this project either this summer or next summer.

Keep a Rein on the SMIS Temperature: ProgrProgrammable thermostats will help a great deal to control SMIS energy costs. This fiscal year (since August) our energy costs have risen by 41% over last year. Good programmables cost from $60 to $150. SMIS is dipping into its contingency funds to procure 53 programmable thermostats to help take the bite out of winter 2008-09 gas consumption.

Amazing discovery in the SMIS attics: NOTHING, no insulation!! Many hours of labor will be required to prepare 20,000 square feet of attic envelopes for an R-38 blanket before next winter. The blow-and-go installation cost will be about one dollar per square foot. We’ll find the money somewhere, even if we have to exercise the options of begging or borrowing. For those of you willing and able to save us from the infamous third option, we promise to put your name on your square footage of insulation.

Sandstone buildings never need paint: Ah, but 268 SMIS exterior window and door frames plus 8,500 square feet of soffits and roof overhangs are naked as jaybirds! We can wrap them in modesty for a mere $24,000 this summer.

Equipment
Wheeled Scissor Lift: The SMIS campus has some rooflines nearly 40 feet high. For purposes such as repairing eaves, painting window frames and cleaning windows, SMIS is seeking such a lifting mechanism in good repair, as a donation or at a bargain basement price.

Heavy Duty Flatbed Trailer: A single-axle trailer for transporting equipment such as a scissor lift, bobcat and small tractor.

Skilled Specialists
A variety of projects are conducive to being performed by skilled volunteers, from engineers to furnace cleaners (82 furnaces), with a minimum of supervision. Such skilled volunteers will be asked to provide references verifying their skills, just as though they were applying for a paid/salaried job. In order to ensure that volunteer tasks meet quality standards, SMIS feels it necessary to “look the proverbial horse in the mouth”. During the summer months, free accommodations can be supplied to volunteers. Projects will normally be restricted to non-team tasks in order to minimize the amount of supervision needed. Volunteers must provide precise periods of availability to work on projects so that SMIS managers can coordinate activities and accommodations effectively. If you have skills that you would be interested in sharing on a volunteer basis for a specific amount of time this summer, click here talk to us. Grand Canyon is only four hours drive west of the school!

Unskilled "Specialists"
You’ll be a skilled specialist by the time we’re finished with you, this summer. We have a few low-down and uncomplicated painting tasks, fences to straighten around the south pasture and removal redundant fencing around the campus, and general clean-up activities planned. So, come join us or send your credit card to spruce up the SMIS campus.

Painting/Refurbishing: The SMIS campus retains many historic wood-framed windows that have not been painted in some years. This job has been contracted out and is scheduled to begin in early June. However there remain numerous smaller interior and exterior painting jobs to be done around the campus.

Electrical Engineer: SMIS seeks a qualified specialist to evaluate the present electrical system and to provide written recommendations/specifications for system upgrades to meet state-of-the-art standards for a modern K-12 school. Included are five sandstone buildings constructed between 1902 and 1933, and the high school that was completed in 1950. Total floor space is approximately 100,000 square feet.

Architect: An experienced historic building architect is being sought to create blueprints for remodeling construction upgrades to portions of the existing campus buildings. To the extent possible, SMIS wishes to meet GREEN building standards.

BYOB Landscape Designer: Bring your own bulldozer. A landscaping plan to enhance both campus esthetics and campus drainage from the existing buildings is needed. The landscaping plan should include a security barrier around the perimeter of the campus that is both pleasing to the eye and a significant deterrent to both ranging livestock and other unauthorized (two-legged) varmints.

Sanitation Engineer: The existing plumbing system needs to be evaluated in terms of local standards and codes. This includes retrofit recommendations for toilet ventilation systems and all sewerage and drainage pipes throughout the campus.