Derry Area School District is spending some money this summer to help keep its student-athletes running smoothly.

The school board this week awarded a contract to American Athletic Track and Turf to resurface the track at the high school stadium.

The board meanwhile is hoping for state funding assistance to help it move forward with partial roof replacements at the adjacent middle school/high school building.

American Athletic offered a low price of $243,000 among three companies that submitted bids for the track project. Payment will be drawn from the district capital project fund.

“The bid came in slightly higher than anticipated,” said district business administrator Scott Chappell. “This is a project we had budgeted for $200,000.”

The track last was renovated in 2014. Chappell said the asphalt base is believed to remain in good shape, but the running surface needs to be renewed.

The project is slated for completion before the stadium would be in use for upcoming fall sports.

Visually, he said, “You’re not going to see any substantial change. It’s essentially taking off the existing layer and putting down a new layer.

“Getting 10 years of useful life out of our track is pretty good.”

Sections of roofing on some Derry Area schools likewise are at the end of their expected life — and also have gone out of warranty, Chappell said.

The district is applying for up to $1.27 million in competitive state funding from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to help cover the cost of roof replacements.

If the money is approved, Chappell said, the district’s priority would be to replace a roof covering of stone aggregate over the high school auxiliary gym and another area of roofing above the middle school locker and wrestling rooms.

The application is part of the district’s increased emphasis on tapping alternate sources of funding, according to Superintendent Greg Ferencak.

“We’re looking at competitive grants that are available to possibly help offset the costs of future renovations,” he said.

“There’s about $100 million in the (commonwealth) grant fund available for all districts across the state,” said Chappell, “We’ll hopefully get something, but it’s going to be tough.”

If approved fully for the Derry Area project, the state funding would cover an estimated $60,000 in architectural fees in addition to roofing materials and installation.

“The cost of roofing now is just tremendous,” said Chappell.

Derry Area has earmarked an additional $570,000 in next year’s district capital budget for proposed replacement of a 30,000-square-foot section of roof at Grandview Elementary. It represents the first phase in a gradual plan to replace all of the 90,000 square feet of roofing that has exceeded its expected life at the school.

The school board agreed to pay $1,800 to Butler-based Stadium Solutions for an annual inspection of bleachers at the district’s outdoor athletic facilities — including the stadium, the tennis court and soccer, baseball and softball fields.

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