BLANCHARD SCHOOL OPENING DELAYED...AGAIN

The planned Dec. 11 move into Blanchard Elementary School, which has been plagued by construction delays, has again been pushed back.

In a special meeting Thursday, Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska told the school board he was uncertain when teachers and staff would be able to move into the building. Dec. 18th is now the target date, but the move depends on completion of some projects by subcontractors, general cleaning, a successful inspection and receipt of an occupancy permit.

Steska said he will speak with the job supervisor Monday and " perhaps, and I underscore perhaps, he may have an answer for me at that time.""Blanchard is going to be great once it's finished," he said amid groans from school board members. "Comparatively, it looks a lot better now than Alma Schrader did two weeks before we moved in this summer."Alma Schrader and Clippard schools both underwent major face lifts over the summer that included the addition of divided driveways, cafeterias and classrooms. In the final days before school began, cafeteria workers, custodians and teachers rushed to clean rooms and move furniture and equipment to prepare for opening day.

A $3.4 million contract to build the school was awarded to R.L. Persons Construction in November 1998. All went well at first, but in February then-schools superintendent Dr. Dan Tallent announced the building was behind schedule and most likely would miss its June deadline. Later, delays in acquiring structural steel and ordering the wrong kind of skylights caused the project to fall even further behind schedule.

The school district retained $341,724.20 of the contract for construction of Blanchard, with the final amount to be paid when the building is completed. A $300-a-day fine for not meeting the June 30 completion date will be deducted from the final payment. The fine, which includes weekends, reached $46,500 Friday.

When administrators realized Blanchard wouldn't be ready for the start of school Aug. 26, teachers and their classes were divided by grade level between Washington and May Greene schools. Administrators and staff have considered other moving dates in case contractors do not release the building before Dec. 18. The most possible option being considered is a one week postponement of the move. If the building is completed and turned over to the school district by Dec. 18th, staff would have to move into Blanchard while classes are dismissed for Christmas vacation.

School board reaction was mixed to the option of asking staff to work during the Christmas break.

Board member Dr. Bob Fox didn't like the idea, saying: "I don't think we can ask our staff to work on Christmas break. That's their time off, and they've got travel plans or want to be with their family, and I just hate to see us ask our staff to do it over their vacation."Board member Sharon Mueller disagreed, saying the later move would allow faculty flexibility to choose when they came in to organize their classrooms."They could come in anytime during those two weeks to get in their rooms," she said. "I think they would appreciate the extra time." Steska said some teachers had suggested waiting until the end of the semester on Jan. 14, when a half-day session is scheduled. Steska said that option may not be viable because it may not be enough time for a move."I'm afraid that half-day would just fly by, and when we came back on Monday we'd have boxes and things stacked everywhere," he said.