The great transformation continues...

If you have driven through the District this past year and into this current summer you have experienced what a district-wide capital project looks like.  Our schools have not had significant work done on them in many years and were in need of the large scale construction project that was approved by our community at the 2017 referendum vote.  Last summer (During Phase 1) we got a much needed new track and turf field as it replaced a turf field and track that had far exceeded its lifespan and was on the verge of becoming a safety issue for our athletes, band members, and high school students utilizing the stadium during physical education classes, as the surface of the turf had grown increasingly hard over time. 

While all of our schools have experienced upgrades during last year's Phase 1 of the capital project including new roofs on all schools as well as significant infrastructure, electrical, and technology upgrades, the scope of work needed at Millard Hawk Elementary (MHE) was the most substantial.  It is because of this that we are housing our MHE pre-kindergarten classrooms, and our 4th and 5th grade classrooms next door at CSI, which formerly housed our 3rd-5th graders that transitioned from Millard Hawk Primary.  Being able to utilize CSI as a "swing space"  allows the construction work on MHE to be accomplished in one year instead of three years, which is a huge cost savings to the District as well as avoiding the massive inconvenience of having to have students in classrooms that were continuously being worked on during the night shift, which would have been a logistical nightmare. To also save the District the money of hiring an interim principal and building secretary to be in CSI for the 2019-2020 school year, while also providing students, staff, and parents/guardians there with the same level of support that they had at MHE, my office and my secretary's office will be housed in CSI for the school year.  Having been an elementary principal for four years prior to coming to Central Square, I am excited! By being able to close off a large portion of MHE for the entire school year to be worked on was clearly the way to go.  The progress on that portion of MHE has already been amazing, seen in these pictures.

While each of our schools are experiencing significant constructional upgrades, all eyes are on the auditorium at Paul V. Moore High School where we are getting a brand new performing arts center that will compliment the success of our fine arts program.  All of our schools utilize the PVM auditorium for concerts, theatrical shows, awards presentations, and music/talent performances and the auditorium has not had significant upgrades in decades. The auditorium will be under construction for all of the 2019-2020 school year, so I will provide updated pictures on the construction progress throughout the school year. Once the 2018-2019 school year came to a close, the construction workers wasted no time getting into the auditorium, seen in these pictures: