Late decision to merge boys, girls schools is costing FCPS $277K for urinals

A late decision to relocate George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys is coming with an added bathroom cost.

Fayette County Public Schools is moving George Washington Carver into a separate wing of the new Rise STEM Academy for Girls, and the district is paying more than $277,000 to put urinals in the building.

FCPS decided in December to put the boys’ academy inside the new building for the girls’ academy, months after construction on the new building began. When deciding in December to put the boys’ program in the girls’ academy months after construction on the new building began, district officials pledged to eventually give the boy’s academy its own space away from the girl’s academy.

Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins had hoped to get a waiver to avoid the bathroom modification, but it was denied.

In all, the Fayette County Board of Education approved an extra $335,117 for the Rise STEM Academy. Of that, $277,048.29 is dedicated to the installation of urinals in the wing designated for the George Washington Carver boys’ program, said district spokesperson Miranda Scully. Additional days are being added to the contract, but it will not prevent the Rise STEM Academy for Girls from opening on schedule this fall, she said.

“A waiver was applied for but not granted,” said Scully. “Since then, we have worked closely with code inspectors and our construction partners to substantially reduce the initial cost estimates for adding the urinals.”

FCPS is set to complete construction on the new $58.4 million Rise academy facility off Versailles Road before school opens next fall.

“Rise STEM Academy is opening on time. We fully expect the boys’ wing to be complete by the first day of school. However, we are making contingency plans for a mid-year move for George Washington Carver, if necessary,” Scully said.

George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys is currently located in the 86-year-old former Johnson Elementary School building. The merger of the two academies is meant to be temporary. District officials pledged in December to eventually find separate space for the boys’ academy.

Some Rise parents fought the merger. At Monday’s school board planning meeting, Rise parents questioned whether the school would actually open on time because of the urinal installation, and asked the board to reconsider its decision to put both programs in the Rise building.