Worcester Central School’s building project will have a big impact on the district’s budget next year, but it will have an even bigger impact on the community in years to come.
That’s according to Superintendent Gary Kuch, who sees the $32.6 million project as essential to Worcester’s future.
The project will increase the tax levy by 18.5 percent in the 2010-11 budget residents will vote on May 18. However, the project will modernize a school that hasn’t seen any major work in three decades.
“The final product will be something the community can be proud of for many years,” Mr. Kuch said, “and it will serve the community for many years.”
Voters approved spending for the project in March 2008, and the project was divided into three parts to maximize state aid.
The first was the new bus garage, which opened last fall near Stewart’s. The second an addition being worked on now, and the third is a renovation of the existing building.
The addition is expected to be done in January, and the entire project should be finished in September 2011.
“It’s an ambitious schedule, but that’s what we’re shooting for,” Mr. Kuch said.
The addition includes a new cafeteria, kitchen and 10 classrooms. There will also be new athletic fields, a playground and parking lots.
Although the project has 10 new classrooms, there’s a net gain of only one. The other new ones will take students out of offices and closets that were converted into classrooms.
Also, the choir, band and technology classes will move out of the annex behind the school and into the main building.
“That was never a good thing, having students in the same building as the bus garage and having them cross the parking lot,” Mr. Kuch said.
The new classrooms will also replace two that were placed in the remodeled auditorium balcony.
“We’ll get our balcony back,” Mr. Kuch said.
The kitchen will move out of the basement to the main floor, and a larger cafeteria will keep lunch periods from stretching over two hours.
“Because the cafeteria is so small, the first lunch period is 10:40,” Mr. Kuch said. “It was more like brunch.”
Overall, the addition is 28,400 square feet.
When the addition is finished early next year, students will move out of the main building so renovations can begin.
It may be uncomfortable for a time, there will be concrete floors and ceiling-less classrooms for students and teachers. Three high school teachers have agreed to have their materials on carts and move from class to class to teach.
“The teachers have been very accommodating,” Mr. Kuch said. “We have a great staff. They all realize that it’s for the greater good.”
He knows the timing of the project is difficult because voters approved the spending right before the recession hit
“There’s nothing we can do about it, the economy going south,” Mr. Kuch said. “But there are no fluff or frills in this. We’ve being very fiscally responsible.”
One benefit of a weak economy is that bids came in low for the construction. That may mean the project eventually could cost less than $32.6 million.
In talking to the community about the upcoming budget vote, Mr. Kuch has explained that state aid will pay for about $24 million, and the school district will pay about $8.5 million.
For the most part, he said, residents have been understanding about the cost and unfortunate timing––but also the need for it.
“I was talking to the Grange the other night, and one man said, ‘If one student goes to college and comes back to open a business in town, it will be worth every penny,’ ” Mr. Kuch said.
“I recognize how difficult things are, but I hope people make the connection to how much this is needed.”