Construction Passes The Halfway Mark At Garrison School End of March remains target date for project’s completion

At the January 2 Garrison School Board meeting, project manager Louis Cubillos of Christa Construction told the board and audience that work on the new facility is 65% complete. "We are about two weeks away from closing the envelope," said Cubillos, referring to the conclusion of work on the roof, windows, and doors. After contractors finish sealing off the building, construction will shift to the facility’s interior.

Once this occurs, contractors will need temporary heat as their work continues through the coldest months of the year. Just who will pay for this heat - which Cubillos estimates may cost upwards of $5,000 a month - has been a subject of some dispute among the parties involved. As originally planned, the construction project was not intended to progress through the winter and, said Cubillos, "The numbers for temporary heat were not applied." Some ambiguity has arisen over who will pick up the tab.

"The bottom line is that the contractor responsible for temporary heat was trying to say he wasn’t responsible," Superintendent Ellen Bergman told the PCN&R. Meanwhile, the contractor has agreed to pay for the temporary heat and to settle any remaining disputes later. "When all is said and done, it will all work out," said Bergman, who noted that the school has credit due from the contractor from other areas of the project.

The temporary heat is necessary not only for the builder’s comfort but also for the quality of construction, particularly in the new gym. Once contractors pour concrete for the gym’s sub-floor, they must heat the space for one or two weeks before they can install the wood floors. The heat will allow the cement to cure, which is necessary to prevent the overlying wood from buckling.

The target date for the project’s completion remains late March, said Cubillos. Bergman warns, however, that it may take longer for the school to receive a Certificate of Occupancy for the new space. Bergman has asked Christa Construction to provide not only a target date but also a "definitive late date" for the project’s completion. She expects to receive this information on Friday, January 11.

Addressing other business, the board returned to an ongoing discussion of the community’s use of school facilities. The board was unanimous in its desire to find a way to keep the new gym open, once it is complete, on certain Saturdays for various activities. Meanwhile, trustees must decide how they will provide supervision at the gym on weekends. A custodial staff member must be present, as well as a responsible adult or a certified staff member. Just how to define "responsible adult" is the next project for the board.

Once the gym opens, the school will accept applications from groups desiring to use the space on Saturdays. Groups will be expected to apply two weeks in advance.

In another action item, the board approved its "acceptable use" policy. This policy requires the school to notify parents about the nature of Internet use among students. While teachers will supervise students’ Internet use, and while a filter has been installed on the network, the school cannot always prevent students from visiting sites that parents consider unacceptable. Both parents and students will be expected to sign a release form acknowledging their awareness that the school cannot entirely control what students will see on the Internet.

Thanks to the Garrison Children’s Education Fund, the school is now wired for Internet access throughout the building. Yet with this privilege comes responsibility. "Parents should be clearly informed of what we can and cannot do with supervision," said Bergman.

In other business, the board approved the appointment of Stephanie Cecchini as substitute teacher, and approved a contract with the Highland Falls/Fort Montgomery school district. Trustees also accepted with gratitude the gift of a Samsung color computer monitor, presented to the school by John Svirsky. The gift’s value is about $1,200.

The next meeting of the Garrison School Board will take place on Wednesday, February 16, and will open to the public at 7:30 pm.