Many Area Students Expect to See Construction Day One

July 27, 2009

By Alana Rocha

(NEWTON, Kan.)

Students will head back to school in just a few weeks, but will their school be ready for them?

Schools in many Kansas districts are in the middle of construction bond projects. Some won't be done before kids head back to class.

Officials in Newton say they'll be ready.

Everyone has a reason to look forward to the first day of school. For Maggie Gile, "I get to see all of my friends again and new teachers."

Gile is a seventh grade student at Chisholm Middle School along with Connie Stevens.

Stevens says, "I'm expecting a new gym. Really excited about that."

A gym is just the start. Kids can expect to see several new changes and machinery on Newton Public School campuses in the coming year.

Newton USD 373

George Leary is Principal of Chisholm Middle School. He says, "The enrollment will increase from about 380 to 520."

Space needs are one cause for construction. And the main reason Leary and his staff have relocated their office to the district building.

"If we can stay out of the building then they can get their work done without having to worry about us," he said.

Crews are working hard to get as much done as possible by the first day of school. District officials are confident they'll be ready.

Leary says, "There's some inconveniences with just rerouting traffic. Kids are pretty resilient. They'll handle that well."

Holly Cox will be a sophomore at Newton High where crews are revamping the entrance, parking lot and adding classrooms. She'll will be driving to school for the first time.

"I'm a little nervous and so are my parents because everything's changed," she said.

The girls and the district knows it'll all work out.

Leary says, "It's such a large project. It's going very well. Even a little headache here and there is just fine."

"I think we'll be fine," Cox said.

It's not just Newton. Students and teachers at Allison Middle School in Wichita can expect to be shuffled around this fall.

A dozen areas, including the lunchroom will be closed off for minor construction and repairs.

Hutchinson High is under construction right now. The district says school will start on time.

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