There's Always Something Going On At PHS...

What a week...and it's only Tuesday!  Yesterday was officially the last day of the school year and report cards were given out. Tuition bills had to be settled, textbooks returned or paid for, detentions served, summer school information handed out, and so forth. All this, as you can imagine, brought a crowd of people to our halls.  Normally, we would use the first floor classrooms, gym and cafeteria, but with construction underway, we were spread out all over both buildings.  Our summer enrichment program for incoming freshmen started yesterday, too. And today, the Center of Compassion's summer camp, which is housed at PHS, got underway with a gaggle of children small and large taking over the mansion and backyard.  Time was, when summer rolled around, things quieted down around here and we adopted a slower pace...but not this year. The second floor is sealed off, the parking lot is home to dumpsters and the detritus of old science labs, and the work on the roof continues. Let's hope the rain holds off for a few days, at least until after the new roof is on, so we can avoid delays!

And so it begins....

Today is the day!  Our long-awaited project, funded by contributions to our capital campaign (Today's Promise, Tomorrow's Legacy), is officially under way (a day early, even!) as workmen have arrived, bringing equipment and supplies to begin the process of covering equipment, furniture, books and bookshelves for protection from the dust and debris of construction. This will be an interesting summer, since PHS will remain open for summer school, driver's ed classes, and the usual tasks required to prepare for the coming academic year. I anticipate some inconveniences, both major and minor, in the coming weeks, but I'm hopeful that we can coexist peacefully  with the work crews.  The important things are to keep our eyes on the prize and to be as flexible as possible for the duration.

Preston Construction News

Greetings!  With the beginning of construction on our new Science & Technology Corridor just days away (8 days from today, in fact), excitement is growing.  We have been working with Ernest Harris, our architect, since last summer on plans to renovate and upgrade the space on the 2^nd floor of our Main Building.  In January, we hired DHI Construction Services as our Construction Managers.  They spent the late winter and spring months developing the budget and construction schedule and hiring the subcontractors for the project.  Now, we’re scrambling to move offices, desks and tables, books, lab equipment & computers into storage before June 24^th when workers arrive and renovations get under way in earnest.  The first job to be tackled is the removal of the old, leaky roof, followed by installation of the new & improved version.

Over the course of the next couple of months I will use this blog to keep you informed about the progress of this much anticipated project.  Right now, we anticipate that construction will take about 10 weeks and will be finished by September 2^nd, just in time for the 2011-12 academic year.

Please keep Preston in your prayers that all goes well and stays on schedule!