Guidelines for Parent Volunteer Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Program
Adopted by the Wake County Board of Education September 19, 1994
|
Application
and Proposal for a Parent Volunteer Buildings and Grounds
Maintenance Project |
Adequate maintenance of school buildings and grounds in the Wake County Public School System is an issue of importance to students, parents, and school system staff. Well maintained school facilities are an indication of the importance of quality public education to our community. Poorly maintained schools cause students to take less ownership and pride in their environment and can lead to increased acts of vandalism and reduced academic performance for some students. The school system welcomes the opportunity to include parent volunteers in our efforts to enhance and improve the maintenance of school buildings and grounds.
A significant list of deferred maintenance items and the funds needed to overcome the backlog are included in the Phase III B Long Range Building Program. With parent participation, the limited funds available to the school system can be stretched to serve more students at more schools and in a more timely fashion.
Purpose of Program
The purpose of the parent volunteer maintenance program is
to provide parent volunteers the opportunity to participate
in buildings and grounds improvements at the school(s) of
their choice thereby improving school facilities for students
and staff and with cost savings to the taxpayers and citizens
of Wake County.
Program Outline
The program will be implemented in accordance with the following
basic guidelines and parameters:
- Parents and/or parent groups may apply for approval to perform a specific maintenance project at any school. Applications are required for all projects. Applications which include requests for funding will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Application forms may be obtained by contacting the school system's Facilities Planning and Construction Department.
- All schools in the Wake County Public School System are eligible to participate in the program.
- Project applications must include the name of the parent volunteer who will coordinate the volunteer work and the signature of the school principal indicating his/her approval of the proposed project.
- Responsibility for review and approval of project applications resides with the Senior Director of Facilities Planning and Construction. An appeal process may be developed and implemented as needed.
- Projects that have significant potential to place parents or staff at risk of injury may be disapproved for safety reasons.
- Funding, in the amount of $100,000, will be allocated from the deferred maintenance component of the Long Range Building Program for the fiscal year 1999 - 2000.
- Applications for projects that require funding from the building program must state the exact amount of funding requested and the source(s) of other funding to meet the total funding needs to complete the project.
- Approved projects will be assigned to a construction project manager who will serve as the contact person for the parent coordinator and principal while the project is underway.
- At the completion of the project (prior to student use, where applicable), the parent coordinator or school principal will contact the assigned project manager to request a site visit to determine if the project is acceptable and if final payment(s) can be made.
- Three (3) operations and maintenance manuals and manufacturer's warranties for all products shall be submitted to the project manager upon acceptance of the project.
- Upon acceptance at completion, all products, materials, and completed projects become the property of the Wake County Public School System
Resource Requirements
Terms and conditions to qualify for matching funds from
the deferred maintenance allocation are as follows:
- Matching funds must be available from the current allocation approved by the Board of Education.
- Funds requested of the school system must not exceed one dollar for each dollar in cash or in the value of donated goods and services provided by the school, or $10,000, whichever is less. The value of donated goods and services is subject to review and approval by the Senior Director for Facilities Planning and Construction.
- Projects must comply with all applicable codes, laws, procurement policies.
- All goods and services must meet or exceed school system standards as specified in the latest edition of the system's facility design guidelines. Exceptions must have the prior approval of the project manager.
- No private individual or group may obligate or commit school system funds.
- Private and public funds shall be accounted for separately and shall not be comingled. Projects may be divided into separate and distinct components, if necessary. When appropriate, the school system may be responsible for the design, construction, and payment of certain project components, and parties other than the school system may be responsible for design, construction, and payment of other components.
- When the division of projects into separate and distinct components is not advantageous and public funds are to be spent, all appropriate school system procurement procedures will be followed. In such instances, funds raised by parent volunteers must be transferred to the school system accounts for procurement of goods and/or services through agreements or contracts between the school system and the vendor(s).
- The school system will not provide advance funding for reimbursement by others. Matching school funds must be available and subject to verification prior to the start of work.
- All improvements are subject to inspection and approval by the facilities department staff. No party shall pay any supplier or contractor for goods or services prior to receipt of written acceptance by the assigned project manager or the Senior Director of Facilities Planning and Construction.
- Individuals providing donated labor and related services must sign an indemnification agreement provided by the school system.