NORWICH – Design teams have worked diligently to meet deadline and architects are ready to enter the next phase of the design process for the Norwich City Schools’ building project.
Voters gave approval for the $35 million district-wide project last March. Document design is complete and architects are now entering the construction document phase. This is the third and last phase before sending the project for approval.
Thomas Associates Group and the Greenwood Group met with the Norwich City School Board members Tuesday to review the design process and what the next phase entails.
Board members got to see computer-designed images of what the middle school is going to look like. The middle school remodeling is the biggest part of the building project, but every school in the district is having something replaced, remodeled or updated.
Scott Duell, an architect from the Thomas Associates Group, introduced the Greenwood Group. The Greenwood Group is the acting construction project manager. This group is essential in the construction and maintenance of the project. Greenwood will report to the district to ensure that the construction is done correctly. Duell said Greenwood had just joined the project and as it continues there will be several more people involved. He said it takes a lot of talented people to put such a large undertaking together.
The architects also gave school board members a practical budget breakdown, answered questions, and gave better insight as to how the entire project will unfold. There are several aspects that have to be addressed and incorporated in the design before the project is sent for approval by the State Education Department. The target deadline date for having the design process complete and sent to the state is Dec. 18.
Due to inflation and fluctuating prices of supplies, the budget includes an estimated cost pertaining to what expenses would be two years from now. Also, there are several items that are included called “stand alones.” These are items that can be removed if need be without affecting the entire project.
Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan said the board is pleased with the progress the designers have already achieved and is confident that the project will be to the standards the district has hoped for.
Bidding for construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2007. The entire project approval is expected to be lengthy taking months to complete.
Board members also discussed issues such as textbook approvals and the 2006-07 school calendar. Up to four half-days have been set aside for staff development.
New programs will begin this school year such as online BOCES courses. The courses will be set up like any other online program and will be available to high school students wanting to participate.
“This gives students the opportunity to work at their own pace and it allows a lot more flexibility,” O’Sullivan said.
With the 2006-07 school year only weeks away from its start, the district has hired and is now orientating new teachers and staff. The board briefly discussed the different roles that teachers, teacher assistants, and teacher aides play.
“We are all involved in the education process no matter what our title may be,” O’Sullivan said. “The philosophy of the district is to educate the children.”