From the organized construction chaos rises new buildings on the Dolores Schools campus.
The project has progressed nicely, said FCI project manager Scott Klassen, and is on time and within budget.
Key features of the rebuild are a new science/ag building, completely remodeled locker rooms, and a large addition to the elementary school.
The 11,000 square-foot science and ag shop main structure is built. Plumbing and electrical are being installed, and the building will be stuccoed.
There will be two lab classrooms with 16 science stations set up with gas hookups, sinks, and ventilation. The layout is designed so the instructor demonstrates the experiment at the head of the class, and then the students conduct the activity at individual lab stations.
"It is a pretty involved building, very state-of-the-art," Klassen said.
The energy-efficient building is about 40 percent built, with a completion date of January 2015.
The remodeled locker rooms are nearing completion and will be ready for the upcoming school year. New showers, improved layout and 130 new lockers are all part of the upgrade.
The 5,000-square-feet elementary addition is 70 percent complete, and will be ready for next year's school year. The upgrade includes five new classrooms, a reinforced fire wall and storage facilities.
"The classrooms are huge and very beautiful," said elementary principal Sherri Maxwell.
"It will have quite a bit of natural light, which enhances learning," Klassen said.
New fire-sprinkler systems are being installed throughout the campus, and skylights are being installed in buildings as well.
Because of money saved on the project, new sidewalks will be installed on the campus. Five-foot-wide walkways will replace crumbling and settling 2-foot-wide sidewalks.
Also two areas on campus with poor drainage were repaired.
"I heard the students had named both of the ponds, but now they will be gone," Klassen said.
He praised the cooperation of students and teachers. Up to 35 workers and heavy equipment worked on the project during the school year.
"The students and staff have been a pleasure, doing everything we asked for and not getting too excited," he said. "They have been very resilient and helped make this project successful."
Funding from the $6.9 million project came from three sources. The Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant paid for $2.67 million or 43 percent of the project. The Dolores community passed a bond of $3.47 million covering more than half of the remaining costs. And the Dolores School District kicked in $750,000 from its reserves.
School officials announced last week that $78,000 has been secured in the budget to replace the roof on the main gymnasium.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com
