NHS Expansion Work Continues After The Last Bell

By Eliza Hallabeck

School is out, but work on the Newtown High School Expansion Project continues. Since the project’s groundbreaking ceremony on May 12, Arthur Lindley, project manager with the Morganti Group, said recently that work has been going smoothly.

“It’s mostly site work at the moment,” said Mr Lindley.

The new front for the main entrance will be completed in time for students to notice when they return to school in the fall, according to Mr Lindley, but beyond that, much of the work scheduled for this summer will be underground.

“Most of what happens this summer won’t be as apparent to students coming back,” Mr Lindley said.

Toward the late fall of the next school year, Mr Lindley said, students and NHS staff will really be able to see the project take shape.

Over the summer, all programs, other than summer school, have been moved out of the high school, and, Mr Lindley said, this will help make the construction work being done as safe as possible. “That will help us to basically have access to everything we need to do,” he said.

Mr Lindley said keeping students separate from the expansion project workers is a top priority, along with safety.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson said at some point Connecticut Light & Power will close down the building for two weeks while it does its work.

“Work is progressing very nicely,” said Dr Robinson.

NHS Principal Charles Dumais has been tracking progress and updating a blog about the construction work and everything surrounding the NHS Expansion Project at www.dumais.us/newtown/faq. On the website Mr Dumais posts answers to questions, like access to the building, and photos as the construction continues.