Date: Fri 22-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

schools-NHS-opening-delay

Full Text:

NHS Opening May Be Delayed

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

The rumors floating around town could turn out to be true after all. It's

looking more and more like Newtown High School won't be ready by the first day

of school.

Summer vacation for high school students could be extended by as much as a

week.

School officials have been optimistic all along that the $26 million NHS

construction project would be completed by September 3, but this week they

began tempering that optimism with caution - a bit of frustration, as well.

"There's a chance we might open three to four days late, but I'm not going to

speculate," said Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed Tuesday. "I'm not

going to open school just to prove a point."

Town building officials have spent much of their time recently at the school,

testing alarm systems, sprinklers, emergency doors, etc. Things are moving

along quickly, but not quickly enough, they say. Teachers scheduled to arrive

for work this coming Monday morning probably won't be able to.

While school officials continue to hold out hope, the final say on when the

high school will be ready comes down to one man, Al Brinley, the town's chief

building inspector, and he doesn't think it will be done on time. On Tuesday,

he said a certificate of occupancy (CO) probably wouldn't be issued for

another two weeks.

"I think everyone that is involved in this project is concerned. They're just

a couple of weeks shy," Mr Brinley said.

Fire Marshal George Lockwood agreed.

"We've got to get these schools open somehow, but we don't see how it can be

possible," said Mr Lockwood. "They want the CO for next Monday. I doubt

they'll have it."

School officials were hoping the CO permit, required before school can start,

would be issued by next Monday. Dr Reed said teachers will need a week to

prepare before students can come in.

Workers have been putting in overtime in their efforts to complete the upper

level of the existing building. That's the area of concern. The new

74,000-square-foot wing at the school is likely to be done, and the school

will be able to get by without having access to the lobby and main office

area, but school can not open until the upstairs of the old building is

certified for occupancy.

Though school officials remain optimistic about Hawley School's $4 million

project being done by the first day, there is still the chance that it could

also face a delayed start, especially if a glitch in the new sprinkler system

is not rectified.

Dr Reed said he continues to keep the pressure on the general contractor, O&G

Industries, to get the job done. No matter when school opens, he wants to

ensure that the rapid pace of the work remains constant. Nevertheless, the

superintendent acknowledges that he has no real control over how quickly or

slowly things get done, or how "reasonable" town agencies will be in issuing

permits. He asks that parents, teachers and students keep their ears open for

any announcements as Day 1 draws near.

"We'll keep the community informed with letters, on the radio and with our

telephone chain," he said.

All other Newtown schools will open on time, even if NHS and/or Hawley do not,

Dr Reed said. The superintendent said there's no truth to the rumor that

students will have to attend school on Saturdays if there is a delay.

When the high school does finally open, sections of the school will still

remain off limits. The lobby, main office, auditorium, music area and media

center won't be done until December. Sheet rock walls will be erected at each

end of the lobby to block access to these areas.

Next Wednesday at 7 pm, the school system will air a program on Channel 21

that will focus on what high school students can expect when they arrive. For

one thing, students will not be able to enter through the main lobby area.

Instead, they'll enter the building through the doors near the area where the

old building connects with the new.