Construction Updates

Proposed Floor Plans
New School Map
Latest Construction Photos--November 8, 2001
Bovis Newsletter--Volume I, Issue 2
Asbestos Abatement and Pest Management Newsletter--Volume1, Issue 2
Asbestos Abatement and Pest Management Newsletter--Volume1, Issue 3
Air Quality Concerns and Reports

January 31, 2002

We have occupancy.   We will move as many classes as possible today. If you are supposed to move to a new location please check in with Tom Lang (in person) to see your status.  As of this writing the following have been moved:

Gonzalez from 180 to 246
Banovic to 245
Fortner to 43

January 15, 2002

As you know, we have not occupied the first of third floors of the final addition to the project.  Following is what is causing the delay:

1) The fire marshall came out to inspect over the christmas break and he gave us a "contingency occupancy." On his report he stated that we could occupy but that certain items had to be done asap.  Good news.

2) The building inspector was called to do a final inspection and the time was set-up.  He did not show.  Bad news.

3)  The inspection was rescheduled.  The building inspector came out but would not grant occupancy until the items listed on the fire marshall's report are completed.  Bad news.

4)  The inspection was called for again but the building inspector would not come out to the building. Bad news.

5)  Tony Barton, Bovis Project Manager, recommended occupancy based on the fire marshall's report and the lack of cooperation from the building inspector.  MCPS states they do not want us to occupy until the work listed on the fire marshall's report is complete and the building inspector has signed off.  Bad news.

6)  All of the work has been completed with the exception of the threshold work for the lower gym.  This should be completed today if the subcontractor arrives on site.  If it is completed,  the fire marshall and the building inspector will be called to reinspect and hopefully give us occupancy.

December 7, 2001

Here is the latest with construction pertaining to the new section:

1) The insulation of duct work is complete.
2) The stairwell landings are complete.
3)  Smoke sensors are being installed today.
4)  The lower gym pa system will be connected monday afterschool.
5)  The fire marshall has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afterschool.
6)  The building inspector has been tentatively scheduled for Wednesday.

If all of the above happen on the specified dates occupancy could be granted Wednesday afternoon for all levels.  We definitely will not have it before that.

Starting today the following class changes have taken place:

Evans moved from portable 1 to room 144
Fernandes moved from portable 2 to room 146
Adams moved from 167 to 141
Foster/Rubinstein moved from portable 3 to room 167

Thank you all for being responsive to yesterday's last minute power shut down.  The reason this had to happen was the final inspection was taking place and the building inspector, in order to give occupancy in the new section, needed to see that the emergency generator would serve the whole building if power was lost in the building. The good news is that it did.  The bad news is that the building inspector only gave contingency occupancy.  We are only allowed to use the 3 classrooms that I have mentioned above.  They are requiring some additional work be done with stairwells and floors before giving occupancy to the whole section.

No other classes will be moved in until this happens which will most likely be next week.

In addition, 3 female staff members came out of the new section of the building while the inspection was taking place.
There are no staff members allowed in the new section of the building other than on the main level.  Going into sections that have not been turned over for occupancy can result in a fine.  I have asked the construction workers to take down the names next time so if we do receive a fine those individuals can pay it.

Finally, at 5:00pm yesterday we were told that 12 spaces in the upper lot would be lost this morning as they needed to hold them so the portables could be moved out today.  This information was given to security at 5:25 last night so they could work with you today, If you were affected, to find a temporary spot for today.  Hopefully, this did not little inconvenience did not ruin anyones day.

The Part II addition to the building should  be opening in stages over the next few weeks.  Following is a brief summary of the time table for the opening:

Main Level - the 5 classrooms on this level should be ready to open later this week.  I will be moving 3 of the classrooms in on Thursday (wed. night)  and hope to move the remaining two in by early next week. The department office on this level will be ready to open this week but will not be available for use until all classrooms in this section open up.  If you are one of the teachers going to these rooms I will talk to you before the end of the day today/tomorrow to let you what it is you need to do.

Lower Level - it is expected that this level will be ready to open, with the exception of the lower gym, at the beginning of next week.  I hope to move 1 classroom and move security into its new office space at the beginning of next week.  The child development move will be done over a longer period of time.

Upper Level - the 5 classrooms and department office on this level will be ready in 2-3 more weeks.  Once they are finished I will move the specified classes in over a weekend period.  I will contact those of you who will be moving into these spaces by the middle of next week to let you know a more specific time table and to give you the necessary information for your move.  The department office will not open until all classes are moved into.

Storage spaces - no storage spaces will be available for use until all classrooms are filled and until the principal decides who uses what storage space.

Wednesday Night Moves (start class in the new section on Thursday):

1) Foster/Rubinstein (Health) moves from portable 3 to room 167 (Adams current room).
2) Fernandes (English) moves from portable 2 to room 146 (new room)
3) Evans (English) moves from portable 1 to room 144 (new room)
4) Adams ( Social Studies) moves from 167 to room 141 (new room)

This is the schedule as of now.  All of this could change if the fire marshall comes out for occupancy  inspection over the next day or so and finds a problem.  If that happens I will let you know.

October, 2001

Phase 4:
The final phase of the construction project is nearing completion.  Current work includes: ceiling grid & tile installation, floor tile installation, installation of the freight elevator, installation of casework and the cleaning of the lower gym.   It is expected that we will move into this new section of the building by mid-November.
 

Upper Parking Lot:
Most of the upper parking lot was resurfaced and renumbered this summer. The only section that was not is where the portables stand.  Once we move into the new section of the building, the portables will be removed from the site and the final portion of the upper lot will be finished.  New lights were also installed throughout the upper parking lot area during the fall.

Punch List Items:
Although the bulk of Phases 1-3 of the project have  been completed there are still many little items that need to be addressed.  Door signs need to be rehung, windows fixed, floor tiles fixed, etc..  This work is ongoing and is expected to continue throughout the remainder of the school year.

Lower Parking Lot:
The construction staging area that is set-up in the back portion of the lower parking lot is beginning to be dismantled and the trailers are being removed.  This will allow for the resurfacing of this area in order to create additional student and staff parking.

Painting
Most of the existing building was repainted this summer.  The portions of the building that were not repainted will be done throughout the remainder of the first semester.

Furniture
All of the classrooms in the old section of the will have their classroom furniture replaced.  New student desks and new teacher desks have been ordered for all of these classrooms and they are being replaced as quickly as possible.  This process should be complete by the end of November.

June 5, 2001
SUMMER CONSTRUCTION WORK

To all:  Here is what is happening this summer:

UNIT VENTILATORS  All of the existing unit ventilators that have not been replaced will be replaced.  Due to this the air conditioning will not be running in the building as the main chiller will be shut down.  This work will happen as soon as the summer starts. If you are not in a new room please make sure that all items, (desks, file cabinets, etc..) are moved away from the unit ventilator before you leave for the summer.

UPPER PARKING LOT  Beginning June 21st the upper parking lot will be closed due to construction.  Those employees who will be around this summer should park in the front of the building while this construction takes place.  It will be completed prior to staff returning in the fall.  When you return please check with Connie regarding your parking space as number surely will change.  The shed located in the upper parking lot will be removed and replaced or relocated.  All materials in this shed need to be removed prior to June 20.

LOWER PARKING LOT  the lower parking lot will be restriped beginning in early August.

PAINTING  Throughout the building there will be a great deal of painting taking place.  All of the existing rooms that did not get painted over the spring break will be painted over the summer.  All of the old hallways will also be painted over the summer.  The lockers in both pe locker rooms and the old lockers throughout the building will also be repainted over the summer.  If you are in an old room that has not been repainted yet, please remove all items off of the walls prior to leaving for the summer.

Rekeying  All the rooms that have not been rekeyed yet will be rekeyed this summer.  If you have a problem getting into a room please see Connie Willis for assistance.  Please do not take any keys from any subcontractors as all new keys must go to Connie before they are given out.

  Ceiling Tiles  Throughout the building there are ceiling tiles out in hallways and classrooms.  All of the tiles will be set in place during the summer and any room that is supposed to get new tile will get the new tile during the summer.

SCIENCE LAB  The science lab (room 188) currently under construction will be completed over the summer and be available during the fall semester.

ELEVATOR  There will be no working elevator in the building this summer starting 6/21 due to the renovation of the new elevator.  Since only the face of the elevator and the cab of the elevator needs to be replaced there should not be a disturbance to the adjacent rooms.  If you need to transport something from one floor to another and are unable to do so please contact Jay Colmes for assistance.

ART SUITE  The art suite that is currently under construction should become ready before we leave for the summer.  Those teachers in rooms 108, 109 and 13 are currently packing and will be moved in prior to June 20.

COMPUTER LAB 184  The ceiling unit ventilator that has been installed needs to be adjusted so that it is flush with the ceiling.  This work is within the center of the room and should have no major impact on the classroom space.

STAFF DINING ROOM  Room 182 goes under construction as Publications/Yearbook and Amani Elkasabanny pack up and move out in order for the new staff dining room to be constructed.

 SCHOOL STORE  The school store will be constructed this summer and will open next fall.  It will be located right off of the cafeteria  across from the weight room.

 PHASE 4  NEW ADDITION  The work in this area of the building, the last part of construction, is ongoing and is expected to be completed in late September/early October.  We will have no occupancy at that time.  The teachers who move into these new rooms will pack for the move beginning in late September or early October.  It has not been finalized yet who is going where so please do not ask me because I do not know.  This area of the building is off limits to all staff until the construction is complete.

 DANCE STUDIO  A second emergency exit will be put in the dance studio over the summer.  There will be no major impact on the room although the adjacent outside storage area will lose about 20 square feet worth of space.

 LOCKER ROOMS  As mentioned above, all of the lockers in the locker rooms will be repainted.  While this is happening the locker rooms will be closed.

 KITCHEN  The construction in the kitchen area is finally wrapping up.  The new grease trap will be installed as soon as the school year ends.  Once this happens the area will be cleaned up and turned over to us.  We will open the next school year with the ability to prepare food onsite.

 CAFETERIA  The two student bathrooms located within the cafeteria will be renovated this summer.  During this time they will be closed.  There will be some painting done within the dining area this summer as the accent wall & columns are painted.

 PUNCH LIST ITEMS  There is still a long punch list of items from Phase 1, 2 & 3.  These items will continue to be addressed throughout the summer.  Please remember that these items are addressed in no particular order so although most should be taken care of before we return some most definitely will not.

 SHAFT CLOSE INS  The shaft for the new kitchen hood will be closed in this summer. The closets in Rooms 108, 109 and 212 will be impacted as mason work is done.  Once the walls are built around the shaft the closets will be cleaned and then returned to normal.  Please refrain from using these closets until that time.

 AUDITORIUM  The halls surrounding the auditorium will  have new ceiling grid and tile installed.  The auditorium roof is scheduled to be replaced.  Finally, a sprinkler heads will be installed over the seating area within the audiorium.  If you are planning to use the auditorium at any point this summer please check with Connie Willis and Greg Melvin before doing so as at any point in time the auditorium could be closed because of the construction.

 GYMNASIUM  The gym will be closed this summer due to work being done to the gymís floor.  It will open up again on August 15th.

 NEW COMPUTER LAB  Room 105, current location of Child Development, goes under construction to become a new computer lab.  Sue Thorpe has begun to pack and will be temporarily relocated so the work can be done.  If you need to find Sue this summer she will set-up a desk in the health clinic.

 NEW STAFF BATHROOMS  Four new staff bathrooms are currently under construction with the work finishing this summer.  When we come back in the fall we will have these new bathrooms to use and they will be located across from 173 and 273 respectively.

ROOMS 108, 109, 109B  The ceiling grid and tile gets removed in these rooms with new being installed.  This work begins June 20 and will be completed prior to the beginning of school.  All items in these rooms will be removed until the work is done.

ROOM 166  Demo work will occur so the door to the new bathroom within the room can be installed.  All items in this room will be removed until the work is done.

  WHO NEEDS TO PACK UP AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING:

ROOM 108  moves to 186-188.  All items will be moved prior to June 20.

ROOM 109  moves to 186-188.  All items will be moved prior to June 20.

ROOM 13  Moves to 189.  All items will be moved prior to June 20.

ROOM 109B  Moves items to piano closet while work in office is done.  All items need to moved week of June 20.  Items are then moved back in prior to start of school year.

ROOM 182  all items are moved out week of June 20.  Items will be stored in either room 180, 181 or 183. They will then be moved to 108 or 109 for the start of the school year.

ROOM 105  all items are moved out week of June 20.  Items will be stored in Health Clinic during the summer.  Items will then be moved back to 105 or to 108/109 for start of the school year.

ROOM 166  all items will be moved out week of June 20 and will be stored in room 175.  The items will be moved back in to 166 prior to the start of the school year.

ROOM 202/202A  all items in these rooms are removed with exception of wall unit in 202.  Items removed are not to be kept at Wootton.

ROOM 225  shelving unit in nook needs to come off of the wall.  All tables within the nook will be stored over the summer in 226 or 224 then put back when new office space is completed.
PORTABLE 4  all items pertaining to Art will be moved into rooms 186-189 starting the week of June 13.
 
 
 

GREG MELVIN will be your contact over the summer.  If you have any questions do not hesitate to get in touch with him.  I will see you next year.  Have a great summer.

Tom
 

P.S. If I overlooked something you will hear from me again.

1)  Kitchen/Cafeteria:
The City of Rockville has required a new grease trap to be installed, which was not called for in the plans, and this has set back the completion of the kitchen area. The architects plans, what they called for, were up to code however the City of Rockville has been insistent that this new trap be installed because the existing floor drains are not up to code.

The kitchen area has received sprinkler approval.  As a result, the ceiling tiles will be put in and the new serving line equipment has been brought on site.  However, due to the City changing the grease trap requirements, it is highly unlikely that Sharon and her staff will be able to use the kitchen area before the end of the school year.

2)  Art Suite:
Completion of this area has been slowed by the excessive amount of rain we have received lately.  This caused a delay in the roof being put on which in turn has slowed the work inside the art area.  The roofing is now complete so the casework is being put in the Art Suite area currently and will continue to be put in over the break. Once this is complete the floor will be put down and ceilings will be closed in.  In the light courtyard, the patio is complete and the windows are being installed.  The display cases in the hallway should have the frames installed over the spring break.  Final completion should occur within 6-8 weeks.

3)  Painting;
All existing building areas (prior to construction) will be repainted.  This process will begin over spring break and will be continued over the summer.  With painting taking place over the break energy management has said that the HVAC system will run full throttle throughout the break event though the 2000 people, who are normally here, are out on break.  Construction is also using high powered fans to make sure there is proper ventilation throughout the time the painting is going on.

3)  Phase 4:
The entire Phase 4 addtion will not be complete prior to the start of school in September.  The goal is to complete the main level and possibly the lower level.  This would provide ample classroom space for the beginning of the school year which would mean the portables move off site.  One good indicator will be if the roof is on by May 2001.  Bovis has stated that if the new roof is not installed by this date then occupancy of the new area will be in jeopardy in September

One concern that exists is that the new elevator, located in the new area,  will not be complete before school starts.  The reason this is a concern is because the existing elevator is scheduled to be remodeled over the summer and if neither one is completed we would have a problem opening at the beginning of the year.

To make sure this does not happen MCPS/Bovis have been discussing the time frame it takes to complete the work in the existing elevator and have been looking at modifying the work needed to be done so that the existing elevator renovation is completed prior to school.

One thing that is a guarantee is that we will not have a working elevator over the summer.

4) Punch list items:
Items continue to be added and deleted from the punch list although it seems that items are being traded 1 for 1.  (The list is not shrinking!) Continue to email me with items you feel are punch list items and I will address them if they really are.  If not, I will point you in the right direction.

5) Windows
The window subcontractor has gone out of business.  As a result, Bovis is working with other contractors to get the order made for the windows in Phase 4.  MCPS has been asked to assume the subcontracts for aluminum panels and glazing.

6) Gymnasium Floor
Last year a portion of the gym floor was damaged by water.  A floor subcontractor has come out to take a look at the floor and price out what needs to be done.  He has recommend that the entire floor be redone as opposed to patching up the damaged areas.  He is sending prices to Bovis who will meet with MCPS to determine the course of action.   The work, either way, will be done over the summer.

1) Painting within 35-40 rooms.  Please see prior listing for specifics.

2) Ceiling tiles will be put up in most of the hallways that currently are without them.

3)  Asbestos abatement will occur in the second floor hallway that wraps around the 4 new science labs.  It will start at the upper level of stairwell 1 and will wrap around rooms 200, 201, 205, 206 & 207 finishing at the upper level of stairwell 2.  This hallway will be closed to all traffic.  If you need to get to the upper level for any reason you will not be able to use stairway 1 or stairway 2 to do so.

4)  Temporary lockers will be removed from outside of 289.  Eight lockers will be removed outside of room 280.

5)  Casework will be put up within the new Art Suite.  The frames should be placed in the display case wells in the hallway outside of the Art Suite.

6)  Slab patchwork will occur outside of the boiler and trash rooms.

7)  Punchlist work will continue throughout the building.

If for some reason you are planning to be in the building over spring break please check in with John Hatley or Jay Colmes upon arrival.

The following rooms are scheduled to be painted over spring break:

161, 162, 163, 166, 167, 169, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 180, 181, 183, 261, 262, 263, 266, 267, 268, 269, 273, 274, 275, 279 (outer part only), 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 290, 292, 293

If your room is one of the rooms mentioned above you need to do the following in preparation of the upcoming painting:

*Remove all posters/pictures from the wall.
*Move all file cabinets slightly off of the wall.
*Move desks/chairs slightly off of the wall.
*Move all loose furniture slightly off of the wall.
 

These items need to be done before you leave for the day on April 6th.  If you have valuable personal items please make sure to secure them.

Here is some news regarding construction around the building:

1)  Art Suite - progress is being made on the new art suite area.  The walls are up and the concrete is scheduled to be poured on Friday.  Once the concrete is down, drywalls will go up and the floor will be put down.  Upon completing that the cabinetry/equipment will get put into place.  More than likely the occupancy of this area will not occur until after the spring break.

2)  Cafeteria - The kitchen area is still under construction and most likely will remain under construction until the end of March.  The major part of the work here is the replacement of the kitchen hood.  The new hood is being constructed and should be on-site within the next 6 weeks.  During this time everything that can be done inside the kitchen area is being done so that when the hood comes on site it will be the final piece to be finished before the new kitchen area is ready to use.

3)  Bathroom work - demolition has occured in 4 student bathrooms located in the old part of the building.  These bathrooms are being completely renovated and are scheduled to be finished in March/April.  Most of the heavy demolition work has finished so this should elimanate a great deal of the noise concerns we had in these areas.

4)  Computer Lab 184 - A new ceiling cooling unit has been installed in Lab 184.  They are now in the process of closing up the ceiling and will clean the room in the early part of next week.   New lab tables have been ordered and will be installed when the room is completely ready.  New computers are being ordered for this lab and they should be on-site so time this spring.  When this lab is ready for occupancy, Stan Brodsky's classes will return here from room 289.

5)  2 small offices - we should be picking up 2 small office spaces within the next few weeks.  When this occurs Joy Pohl & Debbie Whitley will finally have office spaces.

6)  Xerox machines - The xerox machines remain in their current locations and will do so until the wiring is installed in the faculty lounges for them.  No timetable has been set for this occurence as MCPS electricians are handling it.

7)  Faculty Lounge - the first floor faculty lounge (next to the health clinic) will be open next week.  The second floor faculty lounge (where Debbie Whitley currently resides) will open within the next few weeks.

8)  Heating units along corridors -  most of the heating units have been installed along the new corridors.  Some of the units still need to be covered and that should happen in the near future.  These units should all be operational within the month.

9)  Heat within the building - Anytime you have a heating concern related to your room, please contact John Hatley, our plant operator, as soon as possible.  If he feels it is related to construction he will notify me and it will be addressed.  As of now, I am aware of 1 room (284) that is having heating issues that need to be addressed.

10)  Rekeying - most of the building still needs to be rekeyed.  They tried to schedule it for over Christmas but it was not feasible to do so.  No schedule has been set as of yet to do the remainder of the rekeying but it will happen.

11) Courtyard furniture -  The 68 boxes you see in the media center courtyard hold the furniture for this courtyard and the one in the new humanities wing. This furniture will be assembled over the next 2 months as some students have taken on this project to meet eagle scout requirements.

12) Hallway ceilings - Most of the hallways now have ceilings in or ceiling grids in.  The remainder of the ceilings should closed out over the next 2 months.

13)  Part II addition - They are pouring the new elevator pit and the 2 remaining footings this week.  Once they do this they will then back fill.  The masons have been putting up walls and waterproofing will take place this week.  This phase remains on schedule to be completed at the end of the summer.

14)  Gym floor -  The gym floor that had water damage done to it last year will be worked on over the spring break.  The gym will be closed for use over the spring break due to this reason.

December 7, 2000
Here is the latest regarding construction;

1) Cafeteria:  The dining area booths will begin to be installed this week.   The kitchen area is still under construction and will be until February.  The reason for the delay is that the hood in the kitchen is going to be replaced and that is a major change from earlier plans.

2) Part 2 Addition:  Demolition has begun for the final phase of the construction.  The footings will be done within the next 4-5 weeks (pending weather).  Construction of the 5th science lab, which will be located in room 288, will begin over the Christmas break and should be completed by April.  The entire part 2 addition is expected to be completed by the end of the summer.

3) Heat:  There continues to be heating concerns throughout the building.  It seems that many rooms have too much heat and some rooms don't have enough heat.  The situation is being addressed on a daily basis and will continue to be so until all the kinks have been worked out.

One of the biggest reasons for the excessive heat is that the building has a bad air compressor.  It is unable to generate enough pressure in order to push the heat out and as a result the temperature remains high in many classrooms.  The good news is that the compressor is being replaced over the winter break.

MCPS continues to send someone out here from Energy Management to work on adjusting temperatures.  They are going from room to room, using the computer, to program a set temperature in to the system.  The process is very slow since the gentleman doing the work can only go one room at a time.

We are aware that there are some individual unit ventilators that are not working.  Work orders have been put in to MCPS maintenance to have these fixed.  If you have a unit ventilator in your room that is not working and you think John Hatley is not aware of it either email myself or John and we will have it addressed.

Finally, the old unit ventilators will be replaced.  They were supposed to be replaced last summer but were put on the back burner because of all the other work that had to be done to open the building.  They are still trying to work out whether they will use the breaks to replace some of the units or if they will wait for the summer to replace all of the old units.

If you have heating or cooling questions please contact John Hatley.

4) Bathrooms lost, bathroom gained - The boy's & girl's bathrooms located outside of the main office (across from new art suite area) closed for use on Dec 5th.  These bathrooms are being remodeled and will be open sometime in late March or early April.  The boy's & girl's bathrooms located on the second floor, across from Rooms 288-289, will be closed for use at the end of the month.  These bathrooms are being remodeled and will open sometime in late March or early April.  The men's staff bathroom located across from the health room should have a new lock put on sometime this week which would make the bathroom open for use.

5) Art Suite - The art suite remains under construction with the target completion date being mid-February. The art classes will remain in their current locations until the rooms are ready for occupancy.

6) Repainting the building - The building is scheduled to be repainted and this was originally scheduled for summer of 2001.  The new plan is to start the repainting in late December with 2-3 areas being done each weekend.

7) The PA system - Most of the rooms in the building have a working pa system in their room.  There are about half a dozen rooms areas in the building that do not.  MCPS has been out here many times, and will continue to come out here, to solve any problems we have.  Part of the problem was that existing lines were demolished and now need to be replaced.  If you still do not have pa capability in your room and feel I am unaware of it please email me.

8) Fire Alarm - Aaron Perry, head of security, has been working very hard to get all the kinks out of the fire alarm system.   The fire alarm system is operational and the alarm is now being broadcast through the pa system in addition to the alarm speakers in the hallway.   If you have questions about the fire alarms or evacuation routes please contact Aaron.

9)  Auditorium Hallway is shrinking - The small hallway that leads from room 184 to the auditorium is undergoing a change. The temporary lockers that were in place there have been removed in order to allow for demolition to occur to an existing room (art suite side).  While this takes place a temporary wall will be put up to separate the construction from the building.  As a result, the width of the hallway will narrow to 6'.  Most traffic to the auditorium area should now enter the auditorium area from the front of the building.

10) Computer Lab 184 - Computer Lab 184 is moving.  The lab is having interior work done ( a new ceiling unit ventilator) which will start over the Christmas break.  The classes in this lab will move to Lab 289, starting after the break,  which has been rewired over the past 2 weeks in order to accomodate the move.

11) Courtyards - The boxes that you see in the courtyard off of the student commons area are boxes that contain outdoor furniture for this courtyard and the courtyard in the back of the building.  A work order has been turned in to have this furniture set-up as soon as possible.

October 31, 2000
Following is the latest on construction:

1) The right turning lane into the lower lot should be completed by the end of next week.

2) The installation of paper towel holders, soap dispensers & tissue paper is taking place & will be ongoing until it is completed.

3)  Demolition has begun for Phase 4.  This 3 story wrap-around of the lower gym is still scheduled to be completed next fall.

4)  The administration trailers should be removed by the end of next week.

5)  There is a possibility that we could lose 30 more parking spaces in the lower lot.  If this was to happen we would need 30 staff to relocate to a space within the bus loop.  Basically we would be replacing trailers with a 30 car parking lot.

6)  The closed hallway between science and the old english area should open by the Nov. 13th.  When this hallway opens the 2 science prep rooms & the new science office surrounding this hallway will open as well.

7)  We are scheduled to take over the rooms above the new art suite area next week.

8)  The dining area within the new cafeteria looks like it will open by Nov.15th.  This will take some of the lunch crowd away from the commons area & will help to clear the auditorium hallway.  I am currently trying to find a  location where Sharon can set-up so that some hot food can be served.

This week and upcoming weekend a final cleaning will be done to the admin area.  On Monday of next week all of the new furniture will be brought on site in order to be set-up.  Beginning Monday, they will begin to install the furniture into the various offices.  Whichever offices get completed on a given day, the person moving into the office will have their items moved that evening.  Example:  If the office for Frank M. is set-up on Monday then Frank M's items will be moved starting at 3:30pm that evening.

The bottom line is that all staff members in the trailers must be prepared to move next week.  I will know a more detailed moving schedule at the beginning of next week but all should start preparing for the move now.  It is possible for you to be prepared Monday but not move until Friday.  You may be working out of boxes until it is your turn to move.

Everyone should be moved out of the trailers by Monday October 9th.

This is a reminder that no furniture is going to be moved from the trailers to the new spaces.  No file cabinets will be moved.No chairs will be moved.  All items must be boxed up and your name must be on the box.  Please put your name on the computer in your space as it will move with you.  Also, as I mentioned in an earlier email no furniture should be tagged for everyone as it is already  been decided where it will next reside

Administration Area -  Carpet will be put down this weekend.  All of the painting is expected to be done by the end of the week.  Ceiling tile should be completely installed by the 26th.  A final cleaning is expected to be done over the next week with furniture then coming in the following week.  Bottom line is that we are told we will be moving into the new administration area starting late next week or early the week of Oct 2nd.  All staff members currently in the trailers will have to box up their personal belongings.  No furniture is going to the new space without approval.  Please do not tag furniture for someone or give it away.  It has already been designated for its next stop.  I have requested boxes and tape and I will have that set in each trailer when it comes in.  As you did last time label all boxes with your name.

Science Labs - The ceiling tile is ready to be put down in the remaining 2 science labs. The flooring is scheduled for next week.  The 2 rooms that we are occupying now are scheduled to have tile put down in the room on Wed the 27th.  The furniture will be moved out then back in.  The rooms will be ready for class on the 28th.  We should be occupying all 4 science labs the week of Oct 2nd.

  The office and prep room across the hallway will not be finished at the same time.  We have not been given a time schedule for these two rooms.  When the 4 labs open up we should be able to access the hallway that is closed between rooms 289 and the science area of the building.

Cafeteria - Limited work has been done inside of the cafeteria over the last month or so.  As a result, we are now looking at a late November, early December move in date for the new cafeteria.  We will continue to use the student commons area for lunch.  We are having more tables brought in so that more seating is available in the common area.

Art Suite-  They are going to demo the bearing wall by hand next week.  Once that is done they will clear out the material, overpour the footings, and set the steel.  This process will take 4-6 weeks.   At this point we will be able to occupy the classrooms above the art suite (early November).  Until that time the classes scheduled in 286, 287, 288 & 289 will remain in their current locations.

Phase4 - part 2 addition -  The wrap around 3 story addition to the back of the building has a target date of September 2001 althought the site managers have said that date is not looking good.  No work will be done on the 5th new science lab or the new math office until the end of this school year.

Unit Ventilators - A schedule is being worked on for the replacement of the old unit ventilators.  Currently they are looking to replace units over the long breaks but they feel the majority of the replacing will be done over the summer of 2001.  Continue to contact John Hatley with any unit ventilator concerns.

Punch List items-  As you can imagine the punch list is very long and continues to get longer. Please continue to give any issues to your resource teacher who will compile a list and give them to me.  This procedure is working well.

Portables - MCPS is working on us being able to access the portables without having to go around the front of the building.  They say we should be able to access the portables from the baseball side of the building by the end of next week.  I am told the portables will be connected to the network by the end of next week.  Also MCPS is working to install the PA system to the portables although a date was not given to us.  Cable TV will not be run to the portables.

Wootton High School Delayed
One Day to Allow Additional
Preparation Time for Teachers

Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville will open on Wednesday, September 6 -- one day later than the rest of the school system -- to allow the school's instructional staff additional time to prepare following a delay in the ongoing construction effort at the school.

The school will be physically ready for students tomorrow but not all classrooms were prepared in time for teachers to properly set up their instructional program for effective teaching and learning.  School had been scheduled to start tomorrow.

The school is undergoing $16 million construction project, including a 28-room addition, which is scheduled to be completed next year.