SCS Elementary Students to Find New School - Brand New Gym, Library, Cafeteria, More to Greet Returning Students

The new library media center, located in the former "1952" gym, is complete.

"Murphy-style" cafeteria tables fold out if needed.

The huge elementary school gym should be ready by October 1. It is housed in the former cafeteria and "1976" gym.

The floor for the new gym should be down by next week.

New and bigger windows were installed in classrooms.

SCHOHARIE - Students returning to Schoharie elementary school this week may not recognize their old school.

Over the weekend, crews of construction workers were putting the finishing touches on the media center/library, cafeteria, gym, and many classrooms as students return this week. 

When completed this fall, its marks about four years since Schoharie officials began planning for the $25.9 million building project that was approved by voters in the spring of 2022.

The project has transformed many areas of the elementary school.

The former "1952" gym with its wooden walls and floors and a vestige of a stage has been transformed into a modern media center. The carpeted media center has been fully stocked with books and was ready by last week.

The formerly overly large library has become a new cafeteria with a sparkling kitchen and large eating area. The kitchen includes new storage areas and equipment. The eating area has new tables and additional tables and seats in the wall which fold out "Murphy bed-style" if needed. There is also an indoor recess area in the cafeteria which can be used during inclement weather. The kitchen and cafeteria are ready for returning students.

Students will find a new gym at the elementary school. The gym is actually a "gymnatorium" with a stage on the front end. The gym, which is the same size as the high school gym, was transformed out of the former kitchen and cafeteria and the old and much smaller "1976' gym.

The gym will not be ready until around October 1. Students will likely have outdoor physical education classes until that time, said Superintendent David Blanchard.

As of Saturday, the basketball hoops have to be put up, lighting has to be installed, and the floor needs to be put down. The gym floor comes on September 9, Mr.  Blanchard said.

In August, huge cranes were brought on site to place the air handlers on the new gym roof, an important step for temperature control. The gym flooring will need time to acclimate.

The gym last week was  very crowded as it had been used as a "staging" area for the other completed areas of the school.

In addition to those three areas, every classroom in the elementary school got new windows.

Windows in the 1999 wing of the high school were also replaced as they were not replaced during the previous project, Mr. Blanchard noted.

Older students have not been forgotten as a new weight room and lockers rooms will welcome secondary students this week. Team rooms, coach's offices, and new bathrooms have also been completed.

"We're in very good shape for opening day," Mr. Blanchard told school board members at their August 19 meeting.

Crews of 50 to 60 construction workers were in the buildings over the Labor Day weekend to make sure that classrooms were cleaned and and the work areas were ready for students and teachers.

The elementary school and high school work completes the project which began with turf fields, lights for the athletic fields, and tennis courts two years ago. 

The transformation of the elementary school began late last summer and has continued through the rest of the fall, the winter, the spring and now the summer. 

Last year, board members approved four bids for the project. The district received four bids for general construction and approved a bid from Murnane Building Contractors for $9.1 million. There were six bids for mechanical work, and board members approved a bid from Crisafulli Mechanical for $1.5 million. There were five bids for the electrical work and board members approved a bid from SW Burke Electric for $1.4 million. The district received five bids for the plumbing work and board members approved a quote from Tri-Valley Plumbing and Heating for $631,000.

The $25.9 million project was approved by voters in May 2022. The project does not require any new local taxpayer funds as state aid and the current building reserve will cover the costs.