Phones, clocks and floors are high on the list of what should be upgraded in the coming years at Sippican School.

On the recommendation of Superintendent Doug White and Facilities Director Gene Jones, School Committee members voted on Feb. 5 to send those proposals to the town’s Capital Planning Committee for review.

Both the floors and the phone system are about 15 years old, which is the end of their useful life, said Jones. The clock system is the oldest of all district schools.

“Our clocks are antiquated, and we can’t get parts for them anymore,” Jones said.

While at first glance clocks may not appear to be a priority, Jones explained the school’s master clock is synched with the building’s fire and security systems.

“The phone system is tied to the security suite,” Jones said. “We can phase it in with law enforcement, and that will help when we switch to the new A.L.I.C.E. program.”

A.L.I.C.E. is an acronym for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Choice-Evacuate. It’s a new way for students and staff to react in the event of a violent intruder. School officials across the district are currently training staff.

Jones said the largest expense would be replacing the floors. To break up the cost he suggested making the repairs over a course of three years.

“They’re old,” he said. "It’s time to replace them…We could take it a wing at a time.”

The proposal was sent to the Capital Planning Committee in the hope that the town will bear some of the burden for the upgrades.

“We want the support to come from all sides to make the school better,” Jones said. “It’s the number one asset in the town.”

Estimates for the cost of the projects are not yet available.