The Delaware school board has authorized $6.6 million worth of renovations, including a new wing of classrooms, for Delaware Hayes High School.
The board members awarded the job to several contractors on Jan. 25 at their regular board meeting. The funds for the project come from a 2013 bond issue passed by voters, school officials said.
School officials said the new addition will extend the north hall at Hayes and will be used to hold science, technology, engineering and math classrooms. This extension is the second of three phases of improvements at the high school.
School officials said Friday that the board had worked with Turner Construction Co. to hire seven subcontractors for the improvements, including roofing, masonry, plumbing, HVAC and other services. The total cost of the projects is $6,606,775.
Hayes Principal Ric Stranges said Thursday that the first phase projects were the new athletic stadium, new tennis courts, baseball fields and softball fields.
Stranges said Phase 2 involves the new STEM wing and other small projects in the school. Phase 3 involves a new parking lot where the old tennis courts are and creating new “flexible” spaces for students’ dining and other activities.
Stranges said the changes are a chance to “do some innovation” for future students. Stranges added that school officials spoke extensively with students and community members for design input on the project.
“We can provide real opportunities for our kids,” Stranges said. “But right now we need to get kids and teachers in classrooms. We have more students but we have just run out of classroom space.”
Stranges said the high school population is growing and will have 150 additional students next year.
School officials said the construction will begin this spring and the new wing will be completed by the start of the 2017-18 school year.
“A lot of the work will be done over the summer,” Stranges said. “We are trying not to be invasive to students but we’re also trying to meet deadlines.”
