By Jonathan Thrope
Although the school year is coming to a close, the $74 million Staples High School construction project is charging forward.
The Staples cafeteria is barely recognizable as it gets a makeover. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jonathan Thrope for WestportNow.com
According to Project Manager Susan Chipouras, students will be met by a significantly improved building when they return from their summer vacation.
Chipouras said that when students come back, they will be met by a completely renovated No. 4 building as well as an almost completed cafeteria.
There will also be considerable improvements to the parking lots, as buses will be able to drop students off in the front of the school and not have to take the circuitous path that they did this school year.
By November or December, Chipouras said that the library renovation should be complete and that by February, the final wing of the new building will open.
Chipouras said she hopes that the project will wind down by next summer’s break, when the existing No. 5 and 6 buildings will be replaced by parking lots.
Beginning Thursday afternoon following the Wednesday Staples graduation,, Staples will be closed off for the summer to anyone not involved in the construction, she said. Continuing Education has been moved to Bedford Middle School as a result of the closure.
The site should reopen around the time of fall sports tryouts, which begin on the last weekend in August, Chipouras said.
