Beecher School District Facilities Committee Meeting | December 2025

Article Summary: The Beecher School District 200-U Facilities Committee reviewed competing assessments for water intrusion at Beecher Elementary, favoring a comprehensive window and parapet repair plan over general masonry work.

Beecher Schools Key Points:

• The Issue: Beecher Elementary is experiencing water leaks, specifically around the second-floor windows and roof edges.

• The Proposal: GRP, a contractor, presented a plan totaling approximately $185,000 to replace windows and repair the roof coping and parapets.

• Timeline: The committee expects to present a recommendation to the full Board of Education for a vote in January 2026.

• Competing Views: The committee debated between GRP’s roof-edge focus and another firm’s recommendation to prioritize tuck pointing.

The Beecher School District 200-U Board of Education Facilities Committee met on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, to discuss a significant capital improvement project aimed at stopping water leaks at Beecher Elementary School.

The committee focused on a proposal from GRP, the company that previously handled the district’s HVAC project. Scott Instrom, representing GRP, presented findings indicating that water intrusion at the elementary school is likely caused by issues with the windows and the roof’s parapet and coping, rather than the roof membrane itself or general brick mortar deterioration.

“These are your worst window areas,” Instrom told the committee. “On top of that, you’ve got a leaking situation.”

Instrom proposed a solution involving the replacement of the second-floor windows and significant work to the parapet—the wall extension at the edge of the roof. He explained that the current roof membrane needs to be cut back and extended up the parapet wall under a new metal cap to ensure a watertight seal.

Superintendent Dr. Jack Gaham guided the committee through a comparison between GRP’s findings and an assessment from another vendor, Performance. While Performance suggested extensive tuck pointing (masonry repair) to stop the leaks, GRP and a separate roofing consultant concluded the issue was not the brickwork but the roof edges.

“If it was the roof, you would have leaks everywhere,” Gaham said, relaying the opinion of a roofing expert. “It is probably your scuppers and your coping that needs to be addressed.”

The committee discussed a total project cost of approximately $185,000 for the GRP plan, which includes window replacement and the necessary roofing tie-ins. The committee debated whether to include additional tuck pointing on the south wall and courtyard, estimated at an additional cost, or to bid that work out separately to local contractors in the future.

Gaham recommended the committee focus on the immediate water intrusion issues to remain fiscally responsible. “I just want to start getting in the future to where we’re being more proactive and less reactive,” Gaham said.

The committee is expected to bring a formal recommendation to the full school board in January to ensure work can be scheduled for the summer break.