New Entrance For NHS Near The End

Of The Road For The Start Of School

By Eliza Hallabeck

As Newtown High School Principal Charles Dumais predicted for the Board of Education during its meeting on Tuesday, August 17, work on the school’s new driveway was nearing completion on Friday, August 27.

By Tuesday, August 31, both the driveway and work on a stairwell that could have postponed the start of the 2010-2011 school year were completed.

Mr Dumais updated his blog Tuesday to announce school would start as expected on Wednesday, September 1, for high schoolers. A couple of photos and one paragraph announced the passed inspection of Stairway 4, which if had not been completed in time could have postponed the first day of school.

“The Newtown Fire Marshal, Newtown Deputy Fire Marshal, and Newtown Chief Building Inspector approved Stair 4 this afternoon,” Mr Dumais posted at http://dumais.us/newtown.blog. “There will be no delay in the opening of school. School will start on September 1, 2010.”

Board of Education Chair William Hart said he appreciates the work Mr Dumais, the Public Building and Site Commission, and workers at the construction site put in to make sure the driveway and stairwell were completed in time.

“We’re very glad school is opening,” said Mr Hart on Tuesday, the day before the start of school.

While the new entrance may not have looked near completion to residents driving by the Berkshire Road school last week, Mr Dumais said the work was progressing steadily toward completion by the start of school.

Cement trucks arrived at the school on Thursday, August 26, according to Mr Hart, and by Friday, August 27, the first layer of pavement was being poured and smoothed into place.