Habersham County School Assistant Superintendent Patrick Franklin gave a construction update on the addition to Clarkesville Elementary School to the Habersham County Board of Education during their work session Thursday afternoon.
Franklin explained to the board members that the walls were complete and that the brickwork was 90% complete. Temporary heat would be installed over the next week so that contractors could begin painting the interior. Franklin stated, “The addition will be done in March. We will work with the fire marshal to get moved in before the end of the year with furniture.”
Summer Plans
Once the school year ends, the renovations of the kitchen and the expansion of the cafeteria will begin. Plans include improvements to the parking lot in front of the school as well. The project is slated to be completed before students return for the 2024-2025 school year.
$11 million project
The $11 million project began last spring with the first phase of the project replacing brick on the backside of the school that had come loose over the years. Construction of the new addition began over the summer.
Now Habersham took a construction site tour of the new addition at Clarkesville Elementary School Friday morning. As Franklin explained, the project has moved forward with the addition of heat which was installed Thursday evening in preparation for interior painting to begin. Contractors were busy with completing the infrastructure for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and internet. The guide of our tour stated that in a matter of weeks, the gray walls and open ceilings will begin to look like classrooms with the completion of painting and installation of the drop ceilings and windows.
A community project
Carroll Daniel Construction Vice President and Division Manager Tom Wiley stated, “Working with school officials has been a true partnership from the start.” He added, “It’s truly a community project and one that is needed to support the growing school system,”
Franklin stated that before the project began, student safety and minimizing disruptions were addressed. “The leadership team continues to put the students first in every decision they make, and that includes construction logistics. Minimal disruption to student activities has been an important focus for our team since day one,” Wiley confirmed.
12,000-square-foot addition
Carroll Daniel Construction Marketing Director Angie Kennedy states that the current project consists of the 12,000-square-foot addition, the renovation of the kitchen and cafeteria, and the updating of the parking areas. The current art and music classrooms will be relocated into the new addition, and those rooms in the old building will be used to expand the cafeteria. She added that the project will be completed in time for the 2024-2025 school year.
