New school not expected
to be ready in January
By jeanette M. eng
Staff Writer
MARLBORO — The construction of the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Nolan Road, has run into some delays.
"We are no longer confident that we can definitely open on Jan. 6," Board of Education member Cynthia Green announced at the panel’s Nov. 20 meeting. Green sits on the board’s construction committee.
According to Green, the delays have occurred despite the construction committee’s efforts throughout the process.
"Although we have been working hard with the contractors since Oct. 1 and have been holding a construction meeting every week, we are still being delayed," she said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Cris Gansman voiced concern about the issue.
"If indeed there will be a delay in the opening of the school how are you going to deal with this?" he asked.
Green responded, saying, "As parts of the building are being completed, custodians are cleaning and preparing the rooms. So there is not as much (of) a delay as you would think."
Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Abbott also responded to Gansman, saying, "It will take about two weeks to move the staff in. They will need significant time to prepare the rooms, especially the science rooms. I am targeting early February."
Abbott said he was planning to send letters to all parents informing them about the situation.
The superintendent said the delays are due to the fact that contractors are not meeting deadlines and he said penalties are in order.
"I have to move 75 staff members into the school, which will take me a minimum of two weeks … and I cannot move one person in until the (municipal building) inspector gives me the approval."
At present, approximately 1,500 seventh- and eighth-graders who live in the community attend the Marlboro Middle School, Route 520.
According to information previously provided by the board, on Jan. 6 about 550 seventh- and eighth-graders were expected to become the first students to attend the Marlboro Memorial Middle School. That would have left about 950 seventh- and eighth-graders at the Marlboro Middle School.
The board’s plans indicate that in September 2003 a group of sixth-graders will enter the new middle school. A group of sixth-graders will also enter the Marlboro Middle School at that time and the district’s elementary schools will house grades one through five.
All kindergarten pupils attend the Marlboro Early Learning Center, Tennent Road.
When construction of the new middle school is complete, a memorial will be built at the site to honor the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the United States for which the school is named.
As described by Green, the proposed memorial will be an outdoor teaching plaza about 40 feet in diameter with seating for 60 people. The teaching plaza will double as a Sept. 11 memorial with a podium of black steel to represent the twin towers at the World Trade Center and five benches to represent the Pentagon. A plaque and an American flag will complete the memorial.
"This would be a living memorial because it would be in constant use by students and teachers," Green said.
She said the concept for the memorial was designed by Ron Siver, an employee of the district’s grounds department. His design was forwarded to the board’s architect for final review.
The full board was in agreement with the concept for the memorial and Green was told to move forward with the proposal.