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This is the east-facing exterior of the new James Monroe High School. The old school will be demolished and converted to parking and athletic fields.
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Robert Burch Sr., (foreground), director of operations for the Fredericksburg City Schools, talks to members of the Fredericksburg School Board and City Council as they gather for a tour of the new school. Building architect Douglas Westmoreland is at the right.
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Members of the Fredericksburg School Board and City Council gather in the common area/cafeteria seating area during a tour in the new James Monroe High School under construction in Fredericksburg. The school is scheduled to open in the fall. |
By RUTH FINCH
BEHIND THE unstriped tennis courts and the rough, gravel bus loop, the new James Monroe High School is taking shape--on budget and on time.
That's good news because the old school is being demolished this summer, so there will be no place to hold class if the new building isn't finished by Labor Day.
But that's hardly a concern. Robert Burch Sr., the director of operations for Fredericksburg schools gave the update to about 20 school and city officials yesterday as they toured the construction site to check out progress on the new school.
Teachers are expecting to have their room assignments for next year by this time next week, said Principal Daryl Chesley.
By this time next month, the administrative office should be settled into its new digs, Burch said.
And by the end of July, Burch expects an occupancy permit. Around that time, the existing school will be demolished, replaced by ball fields and a parent drop-off loop smack through the middle of what is now the cafeteria.
Burch said an asbestos removal crew will get to work the day after final exams end. Then movers will bring the furniture and equipment over.
And in the midst of all that, the community will have one final chance to bid farewell to the old school, which has served Fredericksburg high schoolers since 1952.
On June 30 and July 1, school officials are planning a moving sale from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It's the time for nostalgic teachers and alumni to nab a piece of the stage where they once performed or a section of the bench where they once sat during games. It's a chance for bargain hunters to walk away with surplus property such as handmade trophy cases or old desks that won't be used in the new school. And it's a chance for school officials to get everything out before the wrecking ball comes through the walls.
Burch said he's gotten all sorts of calls from people wanting to own a piece of their alma mater. And the most sought-after item? The bee mascot hanging on the side of the school. One man has promised to pay $1 more than the highest bidder.
"That thing must be 8 feet tall," Burch said. "I don't know what he's going to do with it."
Once the yard sale is over and the old school is gone, Chesley said he wants to host tours and open houses to help familiarize students and the community with their new school.
Few have had a chance to take a peek so far since the school is still a busy construction zone. But Chesley said he wants to get students in as soon as possible to avoid having 800 students wandering around lost in the new building on the first day of class.
"I would love every kid to be in three to four times beforehand, just to get a feel for the building." he said.
Yesterday's tour revealed some big changes from the 54-year-old facility being retired.
Hallways are a spacious 16 feet across. Classrooms are 800 square feet each. Some of the gym lockers are so big that the football coaches could comfortably stand inside.
The auditorium has 1,000 seats, enough to fit the entire student body and then some. And the three-court gymnasium can seat 1,850 to 1,900.
There are 60 cameras monitoring the hallways, including two at each locker station, and electronic locks on the exterior doors allow administrators to better control over who can unlock which doors.
There are floor-to-ceiling windows in nearly every classroom. There's even one in the principal's private restroom.
"I can't think of a prettier building," Burch said. "I'd love to go here."
To reach RUTH FINCH:
Email: rfinch@freelancestar.com
