School Won’t Open on Time in Powhatan: Administrators Hope Flat Rock Will Be Ready in October

By Jamie C. Ruff, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.

Jul. 26–Powhatan County’s newest public elementary school will not be ready when students return to the classroom Sept. 2, the superintendent said.

A letter explaining why Flat Rock Elementary School will not open on time was sent to parents yesterday, Superintendent Margaret Meara said in an e-mail. The School Board and Powhatan Board of Supervisors also have been informed, she said.

“Up until a few weeks ago, we were very hopeful, but we were recently informed that the stairs, elevator and components of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system have been delayed,” Meara said.

Administrators now hope to move students into the school in early October.

About 600 students will be affected by the delay.

For Paul Christman and his wife, Tracy, who have a second-grader and a kindergartner ready to attend Flat Rock, the news that the school is not opening on time is a “little frustrating, especially when you’ve got a kindergartner getting ready to go to school.”

Paul Christman, who worked on a redistricting committee, said he had an idea from the pace of the construction that the school might not be ready.

“But construction delays happen,” he said.

Meara said they knew the schedule to complete work in time for the start of the academic year was tight, so administrators had developed contingency plans.

“We have in place an alternate transportation plan and an alternate classroom plan,” Meara wrote in the letter to parents.

Until Flat Rock opens, the students will attend the two other elementary schools, just as they did last year, Meara said. The bus stops will be the same as last year.

Meara said that while some parts of the new school are finished, school administrators do not want a phased opening “because we do not want the children housed in a construction site.”

“Classrooms will be moved intact with the assigned teacher when the school opens,” the letter says. “We will keep the children who started out together at either Powhatan Elementary or Pocahontas Elementary together for the entire year including when they move to Flat Rock. Our goal is to cause the least amount of disruption possible.

“We are disappointed,” Meara said, “but feel confident that we will have a smooth opening.” Contact Jamie C. Ruff at (757) 392-6605 or jruff@timesdispatch.com.

—–

To see more of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesdispatch.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.