District says middle‑school fire alarm panel failed; repair could cost roughly $40,000 and take weeks

Interim Superintendent Dr. Sweeney updated the Board on an urgent facilities issue at the district middle school: the building’s fire alarm control panel has failed and requires replacement.

Sweeney said the panel was “fried and done” and estimated a replacement timeline of about 4–5 weeks on the outside. He said the district is working with the contractor and will seek cost‑sharing through the Schools Facilities Board; his rough estimate for the district’s portion of the work was in the $40,000 range.

Why it matters: A functioning alarm and monitoring system is a compliance and safety necessity. Until the replacement is complete, Sweeney described interim mitigation steps: additional custodial and staff checks on campus at increased frequency and documented monitoring to meet legal requirements.

District follow up: Sweeney said he and facilities staff will continue negotiating parts and timing with the contractor and that the district will post updated guidance on the website and notify families when the repair is complete. Board members thanked staff for arranging interim coverage and asked for updates about the contractor schedule and exact budget reconciliation once bids are firm.

Board action: This item was informational; no formal vote was taken. Administrators will return to the board with final cost, timeline and any request for budget action if needed.