By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER
The Middle School construction projects at both Kennedy and DePaolo Middle Schools are moving along on schedule.
“We’re in phase 10 in both schools,” said Chairman of the Middle School Building Committee Ed Pocock Jr. “We have two more phases after that to do.”
Pocock Jr. said the project has been successful thus far, because of all the people involved in the project.
“I’ve got good people on the building committee,” said Pocock Jr. “Although, renovations have been a little tough, the Newfield Construction team has done an excellent job of picking up the pieces.
The Chairman of Middle School Building Committee also said the teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff at the two schools have been cooperative during all of the phases, which has also contributed to the project moving along smoothly.
“A lot of the heavy lifting is done,” said Pocock Jr. “We basically stripped the schools.”
He also said the auditoriums in the schools have come out looking better than ever. Pocock Jr. said that the cost effective decision to keep the old seats in the auditoriums and redo them has paid off.
“It came out really nice,” said Pocock Jr.
Pocock Jr. also said that the building committee has made sure the air quality in the schools has been tested frequently.
“If there’s an air quality problem we want to know why,” said Pocock Jr. “Right now, the air quality in those schools is better than some of our homes.”
According to the Chairman, there are between seven to 12 rooms left to be renovated and generators for each school with RFQ’s out on them.
However, Pocock said that the project is on track to be ready for students’ return to school in August.
Chris Palmieri also gave the Middle School construction projects a vote of confidence at the Town Council meeting on Jan. 12.
“We are on schedule dare I say even a little ahead of schedule,” said Palmieri. “All of the work outside is complete; all of the new construction is complete. We’re just renovating existing parts of the building.”
Palmieri said that the second to last phase of the project will be complete in April and then the final phase of the project will be underway between April and August.