High School is Abuzz With Construction Work

Newtown High School will hold freshman orientation on Thursday, and with that will be a milestone that will help determine how ready the school is for the start of classes next Wednesday, officials said.

Crews were busy working at the high school Wednesday, both in and outside of the building. Among some of the preparations was making sure the existing part of the high school was in good enough shape to hold orientation for incoming students on Thursday, Principal Chip Dumais said. Having the orientation proceed without any hitches will be one test for the school.

Dumais said he intends to update his blog over the weekend to inform parents and students about the progress of the construction and what administrators will have in place to help ease the start of classes next week, including a communication plan.

Principal Chip Dumais recently told the Board of Education there was a possibility certain key features, such as a central staircase, might not get done on time and delay the start of classes. On Wednesday, he said the work appeared to be nearing completion and he remained optimistic.

Members of the fire marshal's office also were expected to inspect the premises and if needed suggest alternatives that would allow the school to be safely opened on time.

While part of the short-term focus is on making sure the school is ready for students, work on completing the expansion project will take longer, well past September. That work is expected to be completed in November, and officials hope to spend just one day moving into the new space.