AREA SCHOOL PROJECTS TAKE SHAPE

PATTON -- Most school districts in the region spend the summer sprucing up their buildings and grounds, but two Bollinger County districts are getting a completely new look.

The Meadow Heights School District at Patton is in the midst of a renovation project while Woodland, a neighboring district, is concluding a similar project.

Construction crews should be finished with most of the renovation work at the Patton school by Sept. 2. Classes begin the next day.

"We're progressing according to schedule," said Meadow Heights Superintendent Gerald Deardorff. With a slow start on the project, the start of school was delayed until after Labor Day.

Late starts typically mean cooler weather, but temperatures won't be a concern for Meadow Heights teachers this year since all classrooms will be air conditioned.

Replacing the roof with a new Mansard design was crucial to the renovation project.

"I can tell the patrons that they didn't begin this project any too soon," Deardorff said. "You wouldn't realize how bad it was until you saw what I saw. It was definitely time for a new roof."

Deardorff was able to see the condition of the old roof as workers removed it to prepare the area for the new design.

Adding tinted and energy-efficient windows to classrooms will save the district money in the long run, he said.

Part of the project was funded through a $63,000 energy conservation loan.

The Woodland School District at Marble Hill is finishing a 42,000-square-foot building that will provide a new elementary school. The building will connect with two existing elementary wings.

"It's like a whole building but we'll use it for kindergarten through second grades," said Woodland Superintendent Ron Wene. The district is adding one classroom per grade at the new building. Office space, music, art and library classrooms are also included.

When construction began last August, the district closed its kindergarten and first-grade building across town to consolidate at one location.

The project should be complete by Aug. 19, when classes start. But moving everyone into the new building could be quite a task, Wene said.

Teachers at Oak Ridge High School are more than ready to move into their new building.

"We're really excited about it," said Superintendent Cheri Fuemmeler. "The teachers have been in and out all summer. By looking at the parking lot, you'd think we were in session the whole time."

The building will be dedicated Sunday at 2 p.m. School board members, community leaders and students are invited to the ceremony.

With the new technology and extra space the 12,000 square-foot addition brings to the schools, teachers should be excited. New math and science classrooms and adjoining computer lab were all part of the package. But the new look doesn't stop there.

The district received an $84,000 technology grant to fund purchasing the equipment needed in the laboratories.

"It will provide a lot of hands-on equipment so we can have some applied technology programs," Fuemmeler said, adding that students will conduct tours Sunday afternoon.

Nell Holcomb School is considering a construction project for a separate junior high school but no definite plans have been made.

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION-REMODELING PROJECTS

Oak Ridge R-VI

-- Building project includes new math and science classrooms with adjoining laboratory space, a computer lab, home economics classroom and renovations to the library and art rooms.

-- Total cost was $750,000. Much of the project -- almost $710,000 -- was funded through extending an existing tax levy. Voters approved the extension in 1995 and the bond will be repaid by 2012.

-- The new wing adds 12,000 square feet of classroom space to existing buildings.

-- School officials and community members will dedicate the building at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Meadow Heights R-II at Patton

-- Approval of a $750,000 bond issue in April allowed the Patton school district to upgrade its buildings and renovate classrooms.

-- The project includes replacing the existing roof with a Mansard design, adding individual heating and air-conditioning system to all classrooms, replacing old light fixtures and windows with new energy-efficient ones, soundproofing the band room and installing ramps to make the buildings more handicap accessible.

-- Initially voters rejected the issue at the polls, but a recount found that the issue won by one vote. The delayed election results meant a delayed start on the project. A substantial part of the work should be finished by Sept. 3 when classes begin.

Woodland R-2 Schools

-- Project includes a 42,000 square foot building that houses four elementary classrooms per kindergarten through second grade, library, music, art, and office space.

-- The addition includes enough space and classrooms for an entire elementary building, but will connect to two existing wings at the Elementary School.

-- Project is funded through lease-purchase agreement so that no taxes were increased.

-- When the building project was proposed, it included closing a kindergarten and first grade building across town. That building has since been sold.

Nell Holcomb

-- The district is not currently involved in a construction project but has one in mind.

-- Superintendent David Fuemmeler and Board of Education members have proposed a separate junior high building for the K-8 district.

-- Construction of the building would not require a tax levy increase but would be funded through an existing budget and lease-purchase agreements.

-- The junior high unit would be located near the existing building and would include six classrooms, a library, computer lab and science lab. If approved by the board in September, the project could be complete by the 1997-98 school year.