Plans are in the works to officially celebrate the completion of all phases of the Calvert High School (CHS) replacement project. “It’s beginning to look like a building now,” said Director of School Construction George R. Leah Jr. during his report, which was presented Thursday, Nov. 14 at the Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) meeting.
Leah said the new section of the school is “94 percent complete” and staff could probably begin furnishing it in January. “I know the music department is very excited to be getting into their new room,” said Leah, who noted a formal dedication for the entire CHS project has been tentatively scheduled for March 30, 2014.
While the task of replacing Calvert County’s oldest existing high school is just about finished, the plan to renovate and expand the second-oldest is progressing, too. Drawings of the plan for Northern High School (NHS) are available. Leah said he would be briefing the Calvert County Commissioners on the plans in anticipation of having that board write a “letter of support” to state school construction officials.
Leah said he expects it will take 28 months to complete the NHS project with the total cost estimated at $67 million. “I look forward to coming in under budget,” said Leah.
Board Member Dawn Balinski asked if the NHS project, which is close to wetlands, is in compliance with state environmental regulations. “We know the rules,” said Leah, who added the mandatory wetlands delineation “has already been done.”
Leah referenced the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance figures for the north end of Calvert showing many of the schools hovering around full capacity numbers.
“We can’t build Northern fast enough,” Balinski commented.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
