Mark Seacrest, director of facilities and planning, told the school board on Aug. 5 that Stewart Middle School's new cafeteria has received a certificate of occupancy and staff are moving in, and that progress on the campus pool is nearly complete.

Seacrest said all items under the project's approved Option 1 were completed by July 25 except a filter replacement; the new filters were manufactured and installed and the pool was subsequently drained and refilled. The health department inspected July 29 and identified five items that prevented opening until reinspection. Seacrest reported that, on reinspection, four of the five items were approved; the remaining issue is a water-clarity problem currently being addressed through testing and balancing over a 24-to-48-hour period.

Seacrest said the health department offered to reinspect once the pool reaches the proper test-and-balance point; the district's target to have the pool available remains the first week of school (the opening day had been scheduled for Aug. 11). Until the pool reopens, swim teams have been using an offsite facility (referred to in the workshop as "Selfish Splash").

Seacrest also noted that the Stewart Middle campusincluding the new cafeteria, painted buildings, irrigation and landscapingis now in use and staff are relocating to the new space. Board members asked clarifying questions about availability for swim season and were told the team expected to use the pool beginning the first week of school if the health department signs off.