OSWEGO, NY – This year, the February break may be much shorter than usual, but that won’t stop a major work effort from getting under way in the Oswego City School District.
Work will get started at Oswego Middle School, Frederick Leighton Elementary School and Fitzhugh Park Elementary School as well as continue at Oswego High School.
When elementary school students and staff return to the buildings next Wednesday there will be some significant physical changes at Fitzhugh and Leighton.
At Fitzhugh Park the ceilings in a half dozen classrooms on the second floor will be removed.
Meanwhile, ceiling removal will also occur at the Leighton school in five rooms of the 1987 wing. However, district officials have stressed that the lights, fire alarm, speakers and projectors will be secured and remain operational in each of the buildings.
Construction experts indicate that the ceilings will remain down until at least September.
It was noted that along with the different appearance one of the major adjustments will be the acoustics will be significantly changed in the classrooms.
Meanwhile, at Oswego Middle School the “Phase 2 Construction Staging Area†will have temporary stone installed.
This area just south of the portable classrooms will also be fenced off.
At Oswego High School there will be continuing work in the renovated science room areas.
In May of 2007, district voters approved $48.2 million capital improvements to all school buildings for student safety and security upgrades as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, food service enhancements, equipment and improve facilities, maintenance and enhancements to technology.
This project is the result of EXCEL which is a program to provide additional state funding for certain types of school construction projects.
For a project to be considered an EXCEL program it must be for education technology, health and safety, accessibility, physical capacity expansion or school construction and energy.
Progress continues in the Oswego City School District and thanks to the approval of the voters, Oswego students and staff are safer and more secure while at the same time the massive capital project continues to protect the investment that the community has made in Oswego schools.
