New school construction on schedule

The district’s K-12 school complex is right on schedule, members of the school board were informed Monday night.

Grand Coulee Dam School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson stated that the elementary wing will be turned over to the district Aug. 4, and be ready for furniture.

Shortly after that, on Aug. 11, the libraries and dining halls will be turned over to the district and ready for furnishings.

Aug. 15, the junior high and high school wing will be ready for furnishings.

On Sept. 2, the school offices will be open and ready for registrations.

Carlson told the board that somewhere around Sept. 8-9, the school will be open for parents and students.

The big open house, for the entire community, will likely be Friday, Sept. 12.

The first day of school for the 2014-15 school year is Sept. 15.

The board was also informed Monday night that the district’s architectural firm, Design West, is currently working on plans to redo the roof and siding on the current gymnasium, science room, home-economics room and the current high school administration area to match the new building. All that will escape the wrecking ball when the classroom wing is torn down. The district plans a major improvement on its tennis courts. Carlson stated that Design West will charge $86,000 for its design work on that part of the project.

When asked how the district is going to pay for the near $1 million roof and siding, Carlson explained that the district anticipates that there will be about $2 million remaining in the construction fund when work is concluded.

The roof and siding project will not be finished when work is done on the K-12 project.