Various Jim Thorpe Area School District projects such as repairs to the high school roof have crossed the finish line, but worn out carpets presenting safety hazards may be next on the list to address, district officials said Wednesday night.

Jim Thorpe’s board of directors approved two Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. proposals in August for a partial high school roof restoration project and the removal and replacement of wet insulation on the L.B. Morris roof. Both projects initially came to about $205,000.

Last month, the board approved another $3,500 to Tremco for the high school roof repairs.

Tremco suggested fixing the wet spots and addressing some wind damage on the high school roof in the current fiscal year.

The high school roof project included a 15-year warranty for the section that was restored.

“I’m really glad we took care of that,” Charles Dresher, Jim Thorpe’s building and grounds director, said. “It was a whole lot worse than what it looked like on the surface.”

A major concern highlighted during Wednesday’s meeting revolved around the deteriorating condition of carpets in multiple classrooms and hallways, some exceeding 20 years in age.

The worn-out carpets, which are mainly at Penn Kidder and the high school, not only pose tripping hazards, officials said, but also compromise the learning environment.

“The carpet is becoming rolled,” Dresher said. “They make a double cut and then fine glue it back down to what is already exhausted glue. It is just not the way to do it. In some cases, they put duct tape on top to keep it from coming up bigger. “

Dresher said around four classrooms are in dire need of being addressed.

“We got a price for around $4,500 to $5,400 per room,” he added. “Some classrooms are wall to wall carpeting and others have vinyl composition tile in front of the chalkboards.

Superintendent Robert Presley said the issue will almost certainly be pointed out during an upcoming feasibility study.

“That study will tell us this needs to be replaced,” Presley said. “We’re bringing this to the board so it is on the radar.”

In the meantime, the district is considering contracting a commercial flooring company to replace carpets in the most critical areas.

Proposed timelines for the replacements could align with extended breaks, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, to minimize disruption.

“We would have to move the furniture out and then they would have one day of tear-out,” Dresher said. “They would fill the holes, glaze it and then one day for the install. We’d then move the furniture back in the day after that. The pricing would include holidays and/or weekends.”

Board President Scott Pompa said items such as carpet replacement underscore the importance of the district’s upcoming feasibility study.

“That will give us a chance to identify these things and plan for them as opposed to having to come up with money we were not planning on spending,” he said.