Waldwick August 29, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 Due to the construction project at Waldwick’s Traphagen and Crescent schools, some Crescent kindergarteners will begin their school year in the art room when schools reopen on Sept. 5. “Construction at both elementary schools is progressing, but not as quickly as I had hoped,” Waldwick Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patricia Raupers said at last week’s school board meeting. “The one kindergarten classroom that is being renovated at Crescent School was slated to be finished for the opening of school, but we have just learned that it will not be ready. That class will be relocated to the art room for the month of September. The two kindergarten classrooms at the Traphagen School are still projected to be open by December and the new addition should be ready for the next school year.” Dr. Raupers indicated that the project at Crescent School had temporarily slowed because some needed equipment is currently on back order. She estimated that the kindergarteners might remain in the Crescent School’s art room for approximately three weeks. The district broke ground at Traphagen School in July, and the updates at both district schools will pave the way for the launch of an all-day kindergarten program in Sep- Kindergarteners to start year in art room tember of 2013. Last week, the Waldwick Board of Education approved a change order related to the construction at Traphagen School that will allow the construction of a storage building that will be larger than the one that was originally planned. Dr. Raupers explained that a favorable bid had allowed the district to move from a 20’ by 40’ storage building to a 30’ by 60’ structure. District officials had looked at the option of a 30’ by 70’ building, but that was considered too expensive. The superintendent indicated that the larger building would allow the district to better handle the storage of the many records it is required to retain. Stored items include files concerning employees and students, other district paperwork, and materials for the custodians’ use. The new storage building will free up existing storage space at Traphagen that will be used for instruction. The district’s contract with Stone Creek, Inc. of Lodi originally totaled $1,569,690 when it was approved in June. The change order has brought the aggregate amount to $1,669,690. The district plans to use existing building funds, improvement funds, and capital improvement funds to cover the cost of the overall project. Plans call for the addition of one new classroom at an existing pod at Traphagen. The pod now houses two kindergarten classes. Plans also call for the addition of canopies to cover pathways between the multiple buildings at Traphagen’s California-style campus. Additional space will be opened up at Crescent School, where a storage area and a classroom that is not currently up to code for kindergarteners will be converted for allday kindergarten. One of the modifications required at Crescent involves the addition of a bathroom, which is a required element of a kindergarten classroom. Office space will be converted into a bathroom, while an old kitchen at Crescent will be renovated as office space. (continued on page 21)