By JULIA LLOYD WRIGHT -- Contributing Writer
Photo by Julia Lloyd Wright

ASCUTNEY -- Finishing touches are being made to concrete paths and plantings around the new and refurbished buildings at the Weathersfield School in Ascutney in readiness for the ribbon cutting ceremony and Open House on Sunday, Aug. 17.

Parents and community members are invited to participate in the events and take a tour of the new facility.

* 11:45 a.m., a ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the new school entrance.

* At noon the dedication will take place at the new Jonathan Crawford Gymnasium in memory of the late gym teacher and a plaque unveiled on the wall leading to the gym.

* 12:30 p.m., the canvas mural will be officially unveiled. The mural, designed and painted by Lisa Curry Mair, depicts Weathersfield's original 13 schools where they were originally located and shown on an old map of the town. It is dedicated to historian Edith Hunter and author of "The History of Weathersfield for Young People" used for teaching fourth-grade students.

* 1-2 p.m., open house tours of the new school facility.

Meanwhile, construction of the wood chip burning plant is still going full throttle but the bunker and exterior walls and standing seam roof are not expected to be completed until after school reconvenes on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

The 65-foot smokestack is in place, the Cor-Ten steel will oxidize according to clerk of the works Graham Hunter, and will not need painting.

Work is still to be done on the older section of the school housing the art and music rooms. The low ceilings have been removed and Principal/Superintendent Mario Bevacqua said they decided to leave the wooden rafters open. Art can be hung from the beams he said and the large music room will benefit from the acoustics. The music room is also furthest away from the rest of the classrooms eliminating any noise.

Space and storage have yet to be found for supplies and equipment transferred over from Perkinsville and elementary teachers are busy readying their new classrooms.

The flag is already flying from a new flagpole donated by the Perkinsville Hawks Mountain Grange and the new bell, located over the entranceway, is installed and tested.

Bevacqua said the bell was cast in the Netherlands then shipped to Los Angeles to be finished. Instead of an old rope bell-pull, it is activated electronically from inside the building.

Bevacqua proudly showed off the new kitchen and cafeteria, no longer operating in the basement.

The consolidation budget included a new climbing and swing-set and apparatus for younger children, Bevacqua said, and is installed over a pad composed of ground-up tires which ensures soft landings.

The new bus purchased by the board is ready to go into service. Bevacqua said they were unable to dispense completely with a bus but he anticipates a savings because they will now all be "going in the same direction" instead of between two schools.

When reached by phone on Wednesday, Business Manager Ed Connors said the project is on track and on budget but there was no news on the situation with the state regarding release of promised funds to cover school consolidation. The school took out a note from the Chittenden Bank to pay for construction.

There is nothing from the State for fiscal year 2009 Connors said but Weathersfield is fourth on the list for funding in fiscal year 2010.

Thanks to Julia Lloyd Wright for the photos.
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