News
District: Buildings almost ready
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| Robert Ragaini/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers Laborers continue their work on the new main entrance to the Hudson High School as the first day of school looms. |
By Andrew Amelinckx
By Andrew Amelinckx
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
While construction workers can currently be seen working on various projects in the Hudson City School District, all four school buildings should be ready when students arrive for the first day of class Sept. 10, according to the district superintendent.
“We’re very optimistic we’ll be ready,” said Jack Howe, superintendent.
The district taxpayers voted to spend $36,650,000 in 2006 on the capitol project, which is being overseen by the construction firm Barry, Bette and LaDuke.
The biggest part of the project is the construction of a 80,000 square foot seventh and eighth grade wing at the high school on Harry Howard Avenue.
Seven through twelfth grade students will be sharing a cafeteria, albeit on different schedules.
Howe said it will definitely be done by school’s opening.
“They’ll be ready to feed the students,” he said.
The building includes 22 classrooms.
Howe said that on the second floor of the new addition teachers were starting to bring their teaching materials into the new classrooms and are gearing up for the school year.
Seventh and eighth grade parents and students will be allowed to tour the new junior high school at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The tour begins in the auditorium that can be accessed by the center entranceway located on the side of the building facing Harry Howard Avenue.
The construction of the new wing has allowed for the closing of the Greenport Elementary building, which is more than 70 years old.
Board member Peter Meyer had been trying to get “a second set of eyes” he considered independent from the construction company to look at the project, but couldn’t get the proposal seconded at the Aug. 10 board meeting. Apparently other members either felt it was too late or not needed. According to the district, the State Education Department did not recommend bringing in someone from the outside and said that the project complied with their policies. This was unconfirmed by the Register-Star as of press time.
The other projects in the district are also on schedule said Howe, with the exception of a playground.
At John L. Edwards Primary School, which is for kindergarten through second grade, a new library media center and special education classrooms are nearing completion. Other changes there included moving the parking lot and playground.
Ninety-five percent of the cost of these two projects is covered by state aid, while the rest is to be paid back by the district’s taxpayers over a 20-year period.
Montgomery C. Smith, formerly for the fifth through eighth grades, is now the intermediate school for third through sixth grades.
Howe said brick work was still going on there and would be completed by the start of school.
The building’s new playground should be completed by mid-September.
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518-828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com. To comment directly on this story, go to www.registerstar.com.
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
While construction workers can currently be seen working on various projects in the Hudson City School District, all four school buildings should be ready when students arrive for the first day of class Sept. 10, according to the district superintendent.
“We’re very optimistic we’ll be ready,” said Jack Howe, superintendent.
The district taxpayers voted to spend $36,650,000 in 2006 on the capitol project, which is being overseen by the construction firm Barry, Bette and LaDuke.
The biggest part of the project is the construction of a 80,000 square foot seventh and eighth grade wing at the high school on Harry Howard Avenue.
Seven through twelfth grade students will be sharing a cafeteria, albeit on different schedules.
Howe said it will definitely be done by school’s opening.
“They’ll be ready to feed the students,” he said.
The building includes 22 classrooms.
Howe said that on the second floor of the new addition teachers were starting to bring their teaching materials into the new classrooms and are gearing up for the school year.
Seventh and eighth grade parents and students will be allowed to tour the new junior high school at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The tour begins in the auditorium that can be accessed by the center entranceway located on the side of the building facing Harry Howard Avenue.
The construction of the new wing has allowed for the closing of the Greenport Elementary building, which is more than 70 years old.
Board member Peter Meyer had been trying to get “a second set of eyes” he considered independent from the construction company to look at the project, but couldn’t get the proposal seconded at the Aug. 10 board meeting. Apparently other members either felt it was too late or not needed. According to the district, the State Education Department did not recommend bringing in someone from the outside and said that the project complied with their policies. This was unconfirmed by the Register-Star as of press time.
The other projects in the district are also on schedule said Howe, with the exception of a playground.
At John L. Edwards Primary School, which is for kindergarten through second grade, a new library media center and special education classrooms are nearing completion. Other changes there included moving the parking lot and playground.
Ninety-five percent of the cost of these two projects is covered by state aid, while the rest is to be paid back by the district’s taxpayers over a 20-year period.
Montgomery C. Smith, formerly for the fifth through eighth grades, is now the intermediate school for third through sixth grades.
Howe said brick work was still going on there and would be completed by the start of school.
The building’s new playground should be completed by mid-September.
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518-828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com. To comment directly on this story, go to www.registerstar.com.
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