OSWEGO – The Oswego school board and audience members at Tuesday’s board of education meeting were treated to a tour of the section of Leighton Elementary that will soon be home to the district offices.
The northeast wing of the school is currently undergoing a renaissance from elementary classrooms to administrative offices and meeting space.
“The main entrance will be on the north end of that wing,” Superintendent Dr. Dean Goewey said. “The main entrance faces Liberty Street.”
The offices will be ready by the opening of the 2017-18 school year, he added optimistically.
The administrative area will be separated from the school by double doors that require a security card for entrance.
“Anyone that comes in these doors will have to swipe their card to deactivate an alarm. The reason that has to be that way is because this corridor, a stand alone office wing, has to have two exits,” Dr. Goewey explained.
The superintendent, the three assistant superintendents and the director special education will all have offices. An area for the board meetings and some smaller conference rooms are under construction.
The central mail room for the district will also be located in the wing.
They have done very little reconstruction to existing classroom structures like sinks, drinking fountains and coat closets.
“I tried to get a drink today and it took a half hour before I could straighten up,” the superintendent quipped indicating the elementary school student sized fountain in his soon-to-be office.
“Everything remains,” Dr. Goewey said. “Additionally, some of these classrooms had portable walls; they were two classrooms that were joined.”
The district, in-house, built walls on either side of the portable walls and insulated them because it just looks so much better and if need be, the walls can be removed, he explained.
The renovations have also sound-proofed the walls.
The technology department will be relocated into the high school. Bob Duffy, director of student services, will be housed in a school, he’s at Minetto now.
The move will mean a cost-savings for the district.
“We’re going to not have a whole massive building (the Ed Center) any more. We’re not going to be borrowing. So, this is a significant savings,” Dr. Goewey said.
The current offices at 120 E. First St. is still on the market and could be sold soon.
missing or outdated ad config
“Renaissance”…… No, more like renovation. I see no correlation of 14th century Europe here.
Any word on the building on 481 that used to house the school board? Potential buyers?
Lower case “r” —– new start, rebirth, new beginning. School board was housed at the end of West Utica Street before moving to 120 E. First St.