The Board of Education (BOE) conducted a special meeting Wednesday, June 21, at the Newtown Municipal Center, and received an update on the Newtown High School (NHS) auditorium renovations.The Board of Education's next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, July 18, at 7:30 pm. Visit newtown-ct.gov for upcoming details.

Public Building and Site Commission Chair Robert Mitchell started off the discussion by telling the BOE, "The quick synopsis: we are still on schedule for August 22."

Geralyn Hoerauf, senior project manager for the firm STV/DPM, then went more in-depth about the progress with the auditorium renovations by showing the weekly photos that have been taken. Each image showed a different viewpoint of the auditorium to give a visual of the work thus far.

In the sequence of photos dating back to mid-May, with some images taken as recent as June 15, she went over what her team has accomplished, including ceiling framing, duct work, and framing for side aisle accessibility.

While viewing a photo of the ceiling, she explained how a rectangular gap in the design is where an air unit the size of a "small car" will be placed.

She also informed the members that in roughly a week the raised seating area will have concrete poured on all the platform levels.

After seeing this stage of the seating area, BOE member Andrew Clure inquired if there is an estimate for how many seats the new auditorium will hold when completed, and Ms Hoerauf said there will be 885 seats.

BOE member Michelle Ku asked when they estimate the project will not only be completed, but allow access to use the auditorium.

"The target is to occupy on August 22 for the convocation," said Ms Hoerauf. She added that the team is building their schedules around that date.

Upon hearing the plans, School Superintendent Dr Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, informed the group that the school's "plan for convocation is leading towards the gymnasium," rather than the auditorium.

He said that is the case, because when they sat down with the high school staff, they expressed that they wanted time to acclimate to all the new equipment, especially the sound equipment.

Dr Erardi added, "So knowing that the job site is supposed to be done two or three days prior to convocation is really, really tight."