Summer Is Hot Time For School Construction

Teachers and students typically get summer vacation, but it's the busy season for people charged with building and maintaining schools.

As is the case across the country, schools districts in Maryland often save the most difficult work -- projects that involve jackhammers, roof replacements or resurfacing parking lots -- for when classes are not in session.

The capital budget approved by the General Assembly for the fiscal year that began July 1 includes $333 million for public school construction, the second-highest allocation in state history but less than the $400 million approved last year.

School systems in Southern Maryland and elsewhere use a combination of funds, including money from the capital improvement budget as well as state grants and county money, to make repairs and build schools.

"Major projects might get started in summer but will continue in the school year," said David G. Lever, executive director of Maryland's public school construction program. "They could stretch on for 15 months or longer."

George R. Leah Jr., director of construction for Calvert County schools, said many people on his staff skip or put off vacations to help prepare schools for the new year. He said one of the biggest projects in the county is the construction of the $16 million Barstow Elementary School on Williams Road in Prince Frederick.

The school's opening, originally set for next month, has been delayed until at least November. In the meantime, Barstow students will attend classes in trailers at Calvert Elementary School. The Calvert school district also plans to spend about $900,000 on improvements to other school buildings.

Next month, officials in Charles County will open the district's 21st elementary school, Mary B. Neal Elementary in Waldorf. The 87,000-square-foot school will hold about 760 students and relieve overcrowding at other schools. New carpeting is being installed at several schools, and many other projects are underway.

At Mattawoman Middle School in Waldorf, a gym floor cracked by moisture is being replaced. Front windows at Matthew Henson Middle School in Indian Head are being replaced, and the parking lot at McDonough High School in Pomfret is being repaved, said Charles Wineland, assistant superintendent of support services for Charles schools.

In St. Mary's County, construction will continue this summer on Evergreen Elementary School in the Wildewood development in California. The $20 million facility will be the county's first new school since 1980, and it is expected to open for the 2009-10 school year.

At Leonardtown Elementary School, an addition and renovations have been completed, and staff members are spending part of the summer installing furniture and equipment, said Larry Hartwick, the county's design and construction supervisor.

In Anne Arundel County, work is being done on about 80 of the district's 188 school buildings, said Alex Szachnowicz, chief operating officer of the school system. Szachnowicz said the work includes painting, replacing lighting systems, and upgrading fire alarms and public address systems. Two high schools will have renovated science wings when school begins.

As part of an effort to make renovations at each school every 20 to 25 years, four buildings in Howard County are getting comprehensive interior repair work. Ken Roey, facilities director for Howard schools, said that full-day kindergarten additions are being finished at three schools and that there are contracts for five schools to get additions over the next year.

In Montgomery County, 10 classroom addition projects and four stand-alone gymnasiums for elementary schools are expected to be completed by the end of the summer. James Song, director of the school system's construction division, said artificial turf is being installed at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. It's a $940,000 pilot project that he said will be done by Aug. 15, before the high school football season starts.

Prince George's County is putting the finishing touches on Vansville Elementary, the county's first entirely "green" school. The nearly $31 million building in Beltsville has equipment designed to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. The school has a capacity of about 800 students and is scheduled to open in the fall.

Prince George's is also working on additions to Potomac High School, which will add space for 600 students at a cost of $24 million, and Parkdale High School, which will accommodate an additional 400 students for $19 million.

Staff writers Nelson Hernandez and Jenna Johnson contributed to this report.