The construction at our school has been an ongoing project starting last year. If you aren’t a new student you may remember all the disruptions when windows were being replaced or when crews first started re-siding the school. As the work continues to progress around the building, students still hear the familiar sounds of construction just out the classroom windows.

In terms of various side-effects of the long-term construction work, drafting teacher Randy Harper said, “For me it was my parking spot.” His class also had to go to a different spot for a day so they could sand his classroom for a fresh coat of paint. Cosmetology teacher Heather Fullen shared that she wasn’t affected much in her classroom, but was on the lookout for nails and other sharp objects near the parking areas. Abram Jackson ‘25 said that during class he finds the construction super loud and bothersome making paying attention in class harder. Meghan Boardman ’23 commented that when the workers were replacing the windows it was really distracting because she wanted to watch what the construction workers are doing, instead of paying attention in class. 

If you have had any classes that were affected by the construction then you might be wondering why the construction is happening. Bob Gagnon, District Operations Supervisor, explained that:

• Some windows were from 1958, making them not energy efficient
• The project added insulation to keep cool air in for the summer and warm air in for the winter
• The siding hadn’t been replaced since 1984
• The windows in the cellarium connected to room 200 are not energy efficient so they are changing them to have fewer windows
• The doors to the main entrance are being replaced as well as the hardware for operating the handicap door access 
• An O2 prime system was installed to help mitigate the COVID-19 virus, making our school safer

Gagnon projects these changes will be completed by March of 2022, which will result in a much updated building, as well as the end of school days existing in the midst of a large-scale and loud construction project.