AREA TOWNS – The first day of school is just around the corner for area students, with some significant changes likely to alter family routines. This year, Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union (OSSU) pre-K students will be hosted at a new Lakeview Early Education Center in Greensboro, beginning September 2. Transportation will be offered to students from the Hardwick Elementary building. Greensboro students from kindergarten through grade-six have a choice between Hardwick Elementary and Woodbury Elementary.
The Hardwick Elementary lobby has undergone both involuntary and voluntary construction in recent months. The repairs are set to be completed before the school year gets fully into swing, however. OSSU Director of Facilities Joe Houston said, “Overall the project is going well. The nine classrooms are still on target for completion during the week of September 8. which is pretty much where we thought they would be. We will have three of the nine up and running for school to start. There will still be contractors on site for the first few weeks of school, but they have been working with us to develop a plan to safely continue their work while allowing school to continue.”
He continued, “The gym lobby was jacked up and new support posts were installed last Saturday. The engineers were on site Tuesday, and although I don’t have their final report yet, the initial word is that there is no further structural damage that will need to be addressed. There are a few cracked mortar joints on the stonework outside that we will have to deal with along with the fascia board, but otherwise it is looking like we got lucky. Overall this has set the lobby portion of the project back about four weeks, and it will be late September before it is finished.”
Craftsbury Academy and Hardwick Elementary School students will return Monday, August 25, while the first day for Cabot School and Walden Elementary is Wednesday, August 27. OSSU preschool students are set to return on September 2.
Moreover, in an effort to sweeten the first of 175 days of the school year, the Civic Standard will be handing out free cupcakes August 25, from 2:30 to 4 p.m., at 42 S Main St. Contact [email protected] to bake and donate cupcakes.
Raymonda Parchment is a Hardwick Gazette reporter. She recently graduated from Vermont State University - Castleton with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She is a strong supporter of freedom of speech, and the right to publish information, opinions, and ideas without censorship or restraint. She is a lifelong lover of the written word, and is excited to join the team as a staff member.
