F.A. Day Expansion, Construction Moves Forward

The at is moving forward this month as a construction bid has been awarded and work is set to start on the Minot Place school. 

According to a July 19 facilities update and memo from Newton Public Schools Deputy Superintendent/Chief Administrative Officer Sandy Guryan, the bid for the construction is within the approved budget, which has an estimated total of more than $7.5 million.

To view Guryan's memo, click the .pdf to the right.

The construction contract was awarded to Colantonio, Inc. on June 26, 2012, the memo said, and work was set to begin on July 16. The project includes the addition of six classrooms, cafeteria expansion and renovation of administrative offices.

Guryan's memo notes that the Colantonio, Inc. construction bid includes a new science classroom as part of the renovation project. However, it does not include renovation of the school's west entry. 

While construction goes on this summer, F.A. Day administrative offices and student services will move to facilities across the street at Central High School. 

In June, the Board of Aldermen , which was part of a school expansion plan that also included . 

That plan, which was initially set to come in at around $5 million, jumped to more than $9 million after officials discovered that in all of the schools under renovation.

According to a June 1 project budget estimate (see attached .pdf), the F.A. Day renovation is estimated to run the city roughly $5.6 million for construction in addition to nearly $2 million in sprinkler system costs.

An information session with F.A. Day neighbors was scheduled for Monday night at the . The School Committee, which met on Thurs., July 19, is scheduled for another special summer meeting on August 13.