Many people continue to make the false assertion that Sandy Hook Elementary School was not an operational school, even though there is an abundance of information out there to prove otherwise, some of which I have shown here:
https://www.facebook.com/SandyHookTragedyFacts/posts/910097392353573
The condition of the 1956 school building continues to be brought up as a reason to their false assertion that the school was not operational.
August 2011 School Facilities Survey for Sandy Hook Elementary School:
http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/Facilities/School Facilities Survey/ED050-SANDY HOOK.pdf (Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140714130545/http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/Facilities/School Facilities Survey/ED050-SANDY HOOK.pdf)
From the August 2011 School Facilities Survey for Sandy Hook Elementary School above: "Check box if this facility is no longer used for school purposes" is NOT checked off. There is no year next to "Year facility closed."
Under Appearance/Upkeep: Classrooms has a 2 (fair), while Building Facade, Grounds/Landscaping, and Lavatories/Fountains have a 3 (good). Entrance/Hallways, Lighting/Fixtures, Cafeteria, and Code Compliance have a 4 (excellent).
You can check a facilities survey for other Newtown public schools at
https://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/dgm/ed050/pickyear.aspx or
http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Departments/Facilities/tabid/15869/Default.aspx
From the August 2013 School Facilities Survey for Middle Gate Elementary School, you can see under Appearance/Upkeep: Building Facade, Grounds/Landscaping, Classrooms, Lavatories/Fountains, Lighting/Fixtures, and Code Compliance have a 3 (good) and Entrance/Hallways and Cafeteria have a 4 (excellent).
The facilities survey for Sandy Hook Elementary School was from 2011 and had 1 fair, 3 good, and 4 excellent. The facilities survey for Middle Gate Elementary School was from 2013 and had 6 good and 2 excellent.
Sandy Hook Elementary School was built in 1956. Middle Gate Elementary School was built in 1964. Both are listed as having a last major renovation in 1993.
Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 2012 –13:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf (Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150331030331/http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf)
From Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 2012 –13 above: "Among public schools with permanent buildings, the building systems/features were rated as being in fair or poor condition in their permanent buildings in 14 to 32 percent of the schools: windows (32 percent); plumbing/lavatories (31 percent); heating system, air conditioning system, and ventilation/filtration system (30 percent each); energy management system, security systems, and exterior lighting (29 percent each); roofs, interior finishes/trim, and internal communication systems (25 percent each); electrical system (22 percent); technology infrastructure (21 percent); interior lighting and life safety features (19 percent each); exterior walls/finishes (18 percent); and framing, floors, and foundations (14 percent) (table 2)" (Percentages are based on schools with that building system/feature in their permanent buildings.)
"Based on survey responses, 53 percent of public schools needed to spend money on repairs, renovations, and modernizations to put the school's onsite buildings in good overall condition (table 5). The total amount needed was estimated to be approximately $197 billion, and the average dollar amount for schools needing to spend money was about $4.5 million per school (not shown in tables)."
Look at this, Wolfgang W. Halbig! Toxic schools: Mold, air quality spark thousands of complaints in Central Florida:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...01016_1_mold-buildup-air-quality-humid-states (Archive:
https://archive.is/MzrJB)
From this July 13, 2012 article from The Newtown Bee, we find out: "Work on the Sandy Hook School roof began in earnest last week as materials for the $180,000 project were set in position. The project to replace the school's entire roof won the school board's nod over a $70,000 offer by Barrett Roofing and Supply Inc to repair leaks in the roof. The town has filed a lawsuit against Barrett for $15,000 in damages after the flat-style roof on the elementary school began leaking. The roof was installed five years ago."
http://newtownbee.com/news/125363 (Archive:
https://archive.is/p7f0Q)
Board of Education's Approved Budget for the 2013-14 Academic Year:
http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/BOARD OF EDUCATION/BOE Budgets/2013-2014 Budgets/6-4-13 Appr. Budget.Full Version.pdf (Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150511141744/http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/BOARD OF EDUCATION/BOE Budgets/2013-2014 Budgets/6-4-13 Appr. Budget.Full Version.pdf)
In the Board of Education's Approved Budget for the 2013-14 Academic Year above, it states: "Please Note: This budget estimate was initiated and assembled before the tragic event of December 14, 2012. The staffing and building operations were consistent with our experiences of operating the Sandy Hook School. The new location at Chalk Hill School in Monroe, will have impacts that have not been fully evaluated at this time. Consequently, as we go through the process of the upcoming budget deliberations, essential changes will be required. These will be vetted as we proceed. Your understanding and acknowledgement of this will be appreciated."
Additionally, "In recent years due to difficult economic times, building and site maintenance projects have been drastically underfunded. This practice of deferring much needed maintenance has had a serious effect on the future budget and as new projects/issues are being added to the appendix a very daunting amount of work faces the School District. For more detail regarding building and site maintenance projects please refer to the proposed list of projects for this year and the five year plan on the pages that follow." The Building & Site Maintenance Projects chart shows $96,500 for 2012-2013, with a "Note: 2012-13 amount from Town capital and non-recurring fund - Not included in other BOE budget totals in this functional category."
Furthermore, "A significant increase in building and site maintenance projects which have been deferred for many years and completely eliminated from the 2012-13 budget year. The amount included here is to make up for this year and get us back on track for the 2013-14 budget year, this has been an emphasized need by the Board. This amount after the Board of Education's reductions of $250,000 on February 5, 2013 and another $250,000 on June 18, 2013 is $574,000."
"Forty-one specific projects were proposed and detailed within the plant operation budget. Funds originally requested for projects at Sandy Hook School may need to be used for Chalk Hill School. The Board of Education cut these projects by $250,000 on February 5, 2013 and another $250,000 on June 18, 2013. Specific projects cut are indicated on the list of proposed projects within the plant operation budget. Projects that exceed $265,367 in cost are included annually in the BOE's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that is submitted to the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for separate consideration. Because of the significant costs for these items and CIP items, it became impossible for the Board to complete all the needed projects in past years and they were deferred to this year."
In the Building & Site Maintenance Projects - Five Year Plan from the Board of Education Approved Budget for the 2013-2014 School Year, we can see what building and site maintenance projects were planned for the 1956 Sandy Hook Elementary School building, all of the data being before the school shooting occurred.
The shaded costs mean "Projects originally in 2013-14 budget, now deferred to 2014-15 budget."
So, for Sandy Hook Elementary School, below are the projects that were originally in the 2013-2014 budget:
$20,000 REPLACE CABINETS & COUNTERS IN CLASSROOMS (PHASED)
$28,000 REPAINT ALL INTERNAL STEEL DOORS & FRAMES
$60,000 CARPET/FLOORING REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
$22,000 ELECTRICAL UPGRADE AND UPS BACK-UP PHONE SUPPORT
$15,000 PAINT GYM AND CAFE WALLS
That is a total of $145,000.
In addition, in the Building & Site Maintenance Projects - Five Year Plan from the Board of Education Approved Budget for the 2013-2014 School Year, we see the additional projects:
$8,000 PAVE AROUND PORTABLES AT EXITS/WALK PATH/DUMPSTERS
$7,500 REPLACE SKYLIGHT SHADES-RM 50,52,54,56
$7,500 SAND AND RECOAT STAGE FLOOR
$40,000 EXTERIOR DOOR REPLACEMENT
$18,000 REPLACE WOOD SOFFITS/VINYL
$5,000 FACULTY ROOM/CABINET REPLACEMENT AND INSTALL DISHWASHER
$30,000 REPLACE BOOK SHELVES IN LIBRARY
$20,000 REPLACE CEILING AT REAR CORRIDOR
$100,000 REPLACE CAFETORIUM ROOF
That is a total of $236,000.
Newtown Public Schools Board of Education Requested Budget for the 2012-2013:
http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/BOARD OF EDUCATION/BOE Budgets/2012-2013 Budgets/BOE Requested Budget Book.rev2.pdf (Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140926061038/http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/Portals/Newtown/District/docs/BOARD OF EDUCATION/BOE Budgets/2012-2013 Budgets/BOE Requested Budget Book.rev2.pdf)
In the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan from the Newtown Public Schools Board of Education Requested Budget for the 2012-2013 School Year above, under 2014/15, there is Window Replacement Projects for Sandy Hook Elementary School for $600,000.
It is also listed for the 2013-2014 school year, under 2016/17, approved by the BOE 10/16/2012.
In conclusion, it is clear from the projects above and their grand total of $381,000, in addition to the $600,000 window replacement projects, that there were full intentions of improving the Sandy Hook Elementary School building and site. While there were no building and site maintenance projects completed in 2012-2013 for Sandy Hook Elementary School (or any school in the Newtown district due to difficult economic times - besides pave front parking lot for Newtown Middle School, which funding for the project $96,500 came from the town's capital fund), the 2013-2014 approved budget was raised to $574,000 to get things back on track.