The Three Rs: Repair, renovation and refinished

Nearly three years in the making the renovated Woodmere Middle School is expected to be ready for the first day of school (Sept. 7) as work continues through this month and beyond.

This approximately $15 million renovation from the $247 million construction bond approved in December 2006, increased the building's size more than 10,000-square feet to an estimated 105,000-square foot structure.

The building remained operational throughout the renovation and students have already enjoyed the benefits of the brand new gymnasium that allows for a capacity of 1,214 people based on the town fire sign.

"Everything is brand new," said Dennis Sheridan, the district's executive director of Facilities, Operations and Safety, about the gym on a tour of the new building, as he pointed to the lighting, bleachers, ceiling partitions and the sound absorbing walls.

A structure built in the 1960s, the middle school that boasts a student population of 650 to 700, will have a main entrance that Sheridan noted will "not just be decorative, but functional," as visitors will be received here and then funneled to where they need to go for improved security.

Two halves are better than one whole as the old gym was sliced in half to create a new cafeteria that allows for expedited food service to students with food kiosks and a new library media center complete with several computer stations.

The school's auditorium also received a facelift with new lighting, sound and rigging systems installed and the stage was to be refinished. A new curtain-glass window design with a continuous louver for access to fresh are was also installed that is expected to be more insulating than the previous metal exterior.

"The first thing that was done was a new roof," said District Spokeswoman Barbara Giese.

That new roof — installed in September of 2007 — is on top of not only new state-of-the-art science classrooms, but a computerized system that for heating is considered a highly efficient hot water system that can use either natural gas or No. 2 fuel oil.

"We regularly monitor the cost of gas and oil and use whichever is less expensive," Giese said.