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District construction update: labs, playgrounds, windows and a late-summer B.F. Norton ground-breaking
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Mike Thornton updated the committee on a wide range of summer construction work, including science-lab renovations, playground replacements, window deliveries and a planned B.F. Norton ground-breaking in late summer.
Superintendent Dr. Mike Thornton told the School Committee on June 12 that the district will undertake an unusually large slate of construction and renovation projects this summer.
Thornton said the district will renovate six science labs at McCourt and six at North Cumberland Middle School; complete interior renovations in the high-school transitional building (first- and second-floor work, preschool demo of small bathrooms, flooring and ceiling work); replace playgrounds at Garvin and Ashton (Garvin's already demoed); convert high-school fluorescent lights to LED; and finish window installation in one building (Thornton said the windows arrived from Poland). The superintendent said crews had discovered and repaired the source of a leak in the basement cafeteria area at Community School that had persisted for roughly 20 years.
Construction staff also reported that the district expects to break ground on the new B.F. Norton building in late summer, with a likely ceremonial event involving students in September, and that the summer will be the busiest of the four-year facilities program. Thornton noted that some projects (for example, bridge and road work on Diamond Hill Road and Mendon Road) and other traffic impacts could affect bus runs and scheduling.
Thornton provided photos and a running list of finished and in-progress items, including new gym flooring, new exterior doors, HVAC equipment enclosure work and completed waxing of classrooms awaiting final installation of finishes.
District leaders said they will continue to post progress updates and coordinate with transportation, police and families to reduce disruption while work is underway.
