Published: July 12, 2007 07:10 pm         

Will school start on time?

South Laurel construction on progressing quickly, superintendent says

With just 27 days left before the first day of school, construction at South Laurel High School continues at a furious pace. The question is: Will the building be ready for school to start?

Superintendent David Young said yes.

“We’re going to have it open on time,” he said. “We really are.”

Director of Finance Jim Kennedy concurred.

“It’s going to be ready, but it hasn’t been easy,” he said.

Kevin Cheek, project manager at Sherman-Carter-Barnhart, told School Board members Monday work is about a week behind, largely due to a massive amount of rock — about 200 truck loads — that has been discovered between the middle and high schools.

And while rock has been found in some places, the ground that will be used for the main road to the middle school is too soft. The discovery prompted a change order request for $12,000 Monday, which will be spent to fortify the road.

“This project is not for the faint of heart,” Cheek said. “It looks like a war zone but we’ll get there.”

The digging was necessary to ready the grounds for the auditorium that will eventually link the schools together. Construction of the auditorium will start in August, while school is in session.

The work that needs to be completed before the first day of school, which is Aug. 8, involves replacing the school’s roof, ceilings and lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. It also involves updating the bathrooms so they are handicap-accessible.

Rapid progress is being made in those areas.

“Two weeks ago I said we were moving at a brisk pace,” said David Jackson, Hacker Brothers construction manager. “If we were brisk then, it’s double that now. The progress is good.”

Cheek showed photos that illustrated the speedy construction of bathrooms, a new corridor, and ceiling grids — all of which were nonexistent two weeks ago. As well, the new roof is now on the majority of the building and the wiring, which Cheek said once looked like a “mess of cobwebs” underneath the ceiling tiles, is now neatly in place.

Still, board members were not hesitant to ask the question being asked county wide.

“Are we going to be done?” Tommy Smith asked.

“The logistics of getting the site under control so we can begin school are coming together,” Jackson responded.



Staff writer Tara Kaprowy can be reached by e-mail at tkaprowy@sentinel-echo.com.