Greene County goes back to school
Although the $20.4 million renovation of the middle school and high school in the Carmichaels Area School District is just slightly behind schedule, Superintendent John Menhart said it is expected to be completed when students start classes on Aug. 31. (Photo by Jon Stevens)
A $12.5 million new elementary center was added to the existing West Greene Middle-Senior High School building in Rogersville, bringing in students from the former Graysville and Springhill-Freeport elementary schools that have been closed. Construction on the new building has been completed, and classes will begin on Aug. 31. (Photo by Brett Spitznogle)
Part one of a series
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of two back-to-school articles featuring the five school districts in Greene County and the start of the new school year. This week, we focus on the ongoing construction projects at the Carmichaels and West Greene school districts. Next week, we will provide parents and students from all five school districts information about what they can expect for the 2015-16 school year.
Two multimillion-dollar school construction projects will be completed when students at West Greene and Carmichaels Area high schools begin classes Aug. 31.
A $12.5 million new elementary center was added to the existing West Greene Middle-Senior High School building in Rogersville, bringing in students from the former Graysville and Springhill-Freeport elementary schools that have been closed.
Across the county in Carmichaels, the $20.4 million renovation of the middle school and high school is just slightly behind schedule, said Superintendent John Menhart.
“Everything is progressing very well,” he said, “but we had to delay the start of school to give contractors time to complete some work and allow the custodial staff time to clean things up.”
West Greene Superintendent Thelma Szarell said the new elementary addition will include an elevated computer lab, a nurses suite, a multi-purpose room, a new music room, an auditorium and its own cafeteria.
Moreover, she said the sixth grade now will be included in the elementary center, which means the total enrollment in the new facility will be close to 300 students.
“We have taken great care to ensure the elementary students are separated from the high school. Parents need not worry that third-graders and high school juniors will be eating lunch or taking gym classes together,” she said.
However, the project was beset with one major problem – the collapse of the original retaining wall last November.
After the wall collapsed, the board expedited hiring a new contractor and developed plans for a new wall. The board hired Burchick Construction to build a new wall at a guaranteed maximum price of $5.2 million.
“The wall is finished,” Szarell said Tuesday. “It all worked out. It is a nice building.”
The Carmichaels project entailed replacing lockers (which are original) in the senior high school, refinishing the high school gymnasium floor and painting the senior high school gym roof deck.
Additionally, a new joint junior and senior high school cafeteria under the overpass was constructed.
Menhart said he “was pleased with the result,” but noted there is always some frustration “because things come up that are unforeseen.”
Lockers that were purchased were not delivered on schedule.
“We had to switch companies after the company we purchased the lockers from went out of business,” Menhart said.
It was reported at the last school board meeting that while all renovation at the middle school was completed, work was continuing at the high school in the gym, office area and library.
Also announced at the Carmichaels Area School District board meeting was the last day of school and graduation, which was originally set for May 27, will now be pushed back to June 3. All holidays and in-service days will remain unchanged.
(Additional information provided by Toni Cekada of the Herald Standard)