Despite weather delays and other setbacks, officials with the Leavenworth public school system say buildings that have been under construction will be ready for the first day of classes.
In fact, two elementary schools were set to reach what is called substantial completion this week. And a third is supposed to reach this level of completion by the end of next week, according to Carol Ayres.
Ayres is a grant writer for the school district who has been involved in the bond construction projects.
A 57.8 million bond issue is paying for the construction of the new Henry Leavenworth Elementary School as well as additions and renovations to Anthony and David Brewer elementary schools and Leavenworth High School. A new athletic stadium also has been constructed behind the high school as part of the bond issue.
Classes this year at the Leavenworth public schools won’t start until after Labor Day in order to give officials time to get the buildings ready.
Henry Leavenworth and David Brewer are the two sites that were scheduled to reach substantial completion this week.
Reaching substantial completion doesn’t mean all work is finished on a project. There may be some things that workers will still need to address in the buildings, according to Mike Vieux, senior project manager for JE Dunn Construction.
JE Dunn is providing construction manager services for the school projects.
Anthony is supposed to reach substantial completion by the end of next week.
When classes begin Sept. 7, some portions of the high school, such as locker rooms, won’t be competed.
“We can work around that for a month or so until they’re done,” Ayres said.
She said all work at the high school is not scheduled for completion until December, but it’s believed the work will be done in October.
Work at the new Pioneer Stadium is scheduled to be done by the end of the month.
Vieux said school district personnel already have been moving furniture into buildings in order to have the schools ready in time for the start of classes.
