Work is advancing on several Habersham County School System construction and renovation projects. During the board of education’s work session Thursday night, Habersham County Assistant Superintendent of Schools Paul Franklin delivered an update.
Franklin said the addition and renovations to Clarkesville Elementary School are still in the design phase. School officials meet every two weeks with the architect and are working to finalize those plans. The project is slated to go to bid on April first. The project will be funded using bonds that have been issued. Construction is expected to begin on July 1, 2024.
“A lot going on behind the scenes,” Franklin remarked.
He told the Board that work on the new Early Learning Center is behind in the design phase. School officials meet with the architect bi-monthly. They expect the project will go to bid this September.
Ninth Grade Academy
Design work is nearly complete on a new facility at Raider Stadium. The school system is replacing the visitors’ section concession stand. The new facility will be less than 1,800 square feet, Franklin said, eliminating the need for an elevator. The design is about 90% complete, with bids going out for the project in May.
Construction won’t begin until after football season ends and is expected to be completed by May 1, 2024, ahead of graduation.
“There’s no way we can get it done this year, and if we started it, it would run into football season. Due to those constraints, we are going to have it all ready to go, and as soon as football is done next year, we will go in there ‘gangbusters’ and have it done before graduation,” Franklin told the school board.
The new visitors’ facility is one of several projects approved for the Habersham Ninth Grade Academy. The others are renovations/modifications to the school auditorium and to the lower level of the gym and John Larry Black complex. Planning and preparation will continue on those projects while the stadium facility is being built.
Central Office Annex
The assistant school superintendent also reported to school board members that the Central Office Annex is about 65% complete. He said work is moving along.
Franklin anticipates the annex will be completed by the end of this school year. He said work should be far enough along for the school board to begin holding meetings there this spring.
