Bethel Park’s George Washington Elementary renovation on track
Students have left George Washington Elementary School for the summer, but the building is far from empty, as construction workers are quite busy with a $3.3 million renovation project.
“With our crew and our schedule, I think our completion date of mid-August is quite doable. We’re on schedule and on budget,” said David Disque, Bethel Park School District’s construction manager. Disque discussed how the project was progressing at the school board’s June 16 committee meeting.
Students are scheduled to start a new school year about a week after workers finish the renovation, and district officials have discussed the importance of limiting any disruption to the school day.
The project calls for the replacement of the heating and air conditioning system, along with duct work, new ceilings, some floors, new lighting fixtures and electrical work. Crews started tackling lighter tasks after school hours a few weeks before the last day of school. But now that the school has closed for summer break, workers began the project in earnest.
Disque said district custodians removed all desks, furniture and equipment, and construction workers have removed all ceilings and most lighting fixtures. The boilers have also been removed and new LED lights have already been installed in the gymnasium.
Disque said the LED lights will save the district money in the long run, since they are more efficient and do not need replaced as often as florescent lights.
The project is similar to the HVAC replacement at Neil Armstrong Middle School, which was completed two years ago. Bethel Park also has tentative plans to replace the HVAC system at Ben Franklin Elementary School in a few years.
In another matter, the school board is expected, at its regular meeting June 23, to approve the inclusion of ninth grade students in the high school marching band. The additional students will result in some added cost, for additional instruments, uniforms and buses, but school officials would purchase the uniforms and instruments on an as-needed basis.
The district considered allowing ninth graders to join the band several months ago. The younger students will not be included in the band’s annual trip, but will attend a separate ninth-grade trip.