EF approves additional costs for high school construction

The Elizabeth Forward School Board also adopted a new artificial intelligence policy.

The Elizabeth Forward School Board approved a series of change orders on Wednesday for additional costs that have come from the ongoing high school renovation project.

The board approved six different change orders, with the highest being a $254,072 for Change Order GC-10 to Rycon Construction of Pittsburgh for additional work needed to prepare for site excavation for the Phase 2 classroom addition.

Board Directors Richard Cummings Jr., Thomas Sharkey Jr., Dorothy Wycoff, Travis Stoffer, Keith Balint, and Scott Henry voted in favor of all change orders. Director Jamie Evans voted no on all change orders, while Director Megan Ferraro voted yes on all change orders except GC10. Ryan Hemminger was not present at the meeting.

Superintendent Keith Konyk said that despite the additional costs, the project is going well and they’re staying within their contingency budget.

“There’s so much work up at the high school that needs done, so we’re just really kind of pushing contractors and making sure that we’re staying on top of things,” Konyk said. “I mean, the work that’s done is amazing inside, but it’s just a lot of work to get done in the summer.”

According to Konyk, the high school project is 50% done, and with the additional change orders, he said they’ve used 20% of their contingency funds.

The second-highest change order is EC-5 for $33,960 with Mark Moses Electrical Services for wiring of new unit ventilators, which also involves EC-6 in the amount of $2,460.

The three other change orders are: • GC-7 and GC-8 for facade changes due to some exterior items being removed and added. GC-7 is $19,897.05 and GC-8 is $28,557.31.

• PC-3 with First American Industries, Inc., for $2,534.29 for expansion of the loading dock to improve drainage.

“We’re doing a building that is 70 years old and hasn’t had a major renovation in 35 years,” Konyk said, “so you recognize that there’s going to be these things that come up you can’t see behind walls. So I’m very proud, actually, of the number that was at 10% before these change orders and now 20%.”

New AI policy

The board also approved a new policy that outlines guidelines for the use of Artificial Intelligence in EF schools.

According to Konyk, they’ve worked with those at the high school to gain input on the policy. He added that the high school has already been very involved in managing and learning about the use of AI.

“What happens is, if you try to create a policy, it’ll be outdated by next month, just the way that it’s evolving,” Konyk said. “So what we’ve done is we’ve produced guidelines through the work that the high school has done.”

Overall, the policy outlines how to ethically use AI, ensures students get instruction on how to use it, and asks that staff and teachers get training on how to use it. The policy states that failure to follow its guidelines will result in loss of access to AI programs.

Konyk said that due to the ever-changing nature of AI technology, their guidelines could evolve as they learn more about it.