Community Corner
Board of Education Meeting Notes
A new wing for Hanover Elementary remains on hold; architects continue to tweak designs for Platt and Maloney renovations; the search is on for a site to house an alternative education center.
In a summer school board meeting that lasted a scant half hour Tuesday night, School Building Committee member John Lineen briefed the rest of the school board on progress on three major school construction projects. Here are the highlights:
Construction Stalled at Hanover Elementary
Construction on an addition to house a new all-day kindergarten program at Hanover Elementary School was originally slated to begin as soon as school let out in June. Instead, it remains stalled pending EPA approval of a plan to remove a small amount of PCBs, a toxic chemical found around one of the windows in the building. A response from the agency is expected soon, Lineen said. The delay will likely push completion of the wing from summer of 2012 to early 2013.
High School Designs Refined
Lineen shared a revised design plan for Platt High School from Antinozzi Associates, the architectural firm responsible for renovating the school.
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“It is much different from the initial draft design of a few weeks back,” he told the board.
The track will not be moved, as was originally planned, he explained. The current auditorium, gym and pool area will all remain where they are, but will undergo renovations.
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“My understanding is that it does take into account many of the concerns that the staff and public had,” Lineen said of the new plan.
Architects for Fletcher Thompson, the firm working on the Maloney project, have moved into the research phase. They are now investigating the building codes, standards and requirements that must be met, Lineen reported.
Additional news
The board approved a motion authorizing the staff to search for a site for an alternative education center for the district. The motion also authorizes the staff to look for a new place to house the school maintenance facility currently located at Maloney High School. The facility will be displaced when construction begins at the school.
At the brief meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Benigni also unveiled two 30-second TV commercials promoting the Meriden schools and wished Board of Education President Mark Hughes a happy birthday.
After the meeting was adjourned, the Contracts Committee immediately went into an executive session.
