The School District of Lee County continues to make progress in the wake of damage left behind from Hurricane Ian.

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said this week there has been an advertisement for bid regarding demolition of Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary School. The demolition drawings have been completed and the demolition will be posted next week.

There also has been a competitive bid for demolition at the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School, excluding the historical building.

Bernier said there is a lot of work that needs to be done before demolition can happen, such as ensuring the proper piping has been done, as well as the electrical and water capped appropriately.

“We are moving as quickly as possible. It’s a complicated issue, especially on Fort Myers Beach,” he said, as they are also preparing for additional structures in case enrollment increases.

Bernier said all hurricane-related service requests have been assigned to vendors for pricing and all vendor proposals are due between May 26 and May 31 dependent on trade.

His hurricane update during the Tuesday night board meeting also included updates on various schools throughout the district. One of those included North Fort Myers High School, which now has a completed roof and a new guard shack.

The Sanibel School, which needed paint, due to it taking on a great amount of seawater, as well as new ceiling tiles has made progress. Bernier said the furniture was reestablished, carpets installed and ceiling tiles replaced.

Caloosa Middle School also has new tile in the first hallway.

As far as bids, Diplomat Middle School and Skyline Elementary School need new roofs. Bernier said the pricing is less than the original estimate of more than $4 million.

“As we bid appropriately there is cost savings for each one of the projects. We are able to find cost savings,” Bernier said.

For instance, instead of replacing a shingled roof at the schools, they are putting in a standard seam metal roof.

The board approved Advanced Roofing, Inc. for the removal of asphalt shingle roofing systems and flashings with the replacement of a complete new standing seam metal roofing system at Diplomat Middle School for $3,595,035.40. The construction is scheduled to begin June 2023 and be completed by December 2023.

The board also approved CFS Roofing Services, LLC, also for the removal of asphalt shingle roofing system and flashings with the replacement of a complete new standing seam metal roofing system at Skyline Elementary School for $2,879,404. The project is scheduled to begin June 2023 and be completed by December 2023.

“We are getting prepared with food service and sheltering. We pray every day that those storms A through Z will go somewhere else. We have to be prepared. We have to be conscious of when we repair those buildings to make them stronger against hurricanes in the future,” Bernier said.