A New Look for W.T.Chipman

One of our readers asked for a little more information on remodeling taking place in the schools this summer. I promised to provide that information in this space. Here’s what’s happening at W.T.Chipman Middle School.

As soon as the children and teachers were out of the building in June, a specially trained crew moved in to remove asbestos tiles in selected areas of the school. Many of our old buildings have asbestos floor tiles. They present no danger to staff or students as they are, but we’ve made it a policy to systematically remove those old tiles when we are remodeling sections of the building. These spaces, which include the cafeteria, are getting new floor tiles in a bright, clean blue and white pattern.

Old cabinets and storage units have been removed from the consumer science room, art room and band room. Those rooms will get new cabinets and countertops and in most cases new tile and paint. The consumer science room will get new appliances.

The library will get a face lift with new paint, carpet and furniture.

All hallway walls will have a new, textured, damage-resistant panel installed in two-lovely shades of blue along the lower half of the wall. The rest of the wall gets fresh paint and a contrasting blue stripe.

Old lockers have been torn out and are being replaced with new lockers – also in two shades of blue. They will have built-in locks and there will be more than enough lockers for each student to have his or her own private storage. The lockers should be big enough to hold a student backpack and winter coat.

The cafeteria will get a new exterior finish to match much of the metal siding that has been used in other remodeling of late. The parking lots have had a few inches of ancient black-top milled off. They will be paved and painted. The old tennis courts by the gym, that have been used for parking over the years, have been torn out and that area will be repaved as well.

A canopy will be installed at the main entrance to provide shelter for students who may arrive before the building is open or who may need to wait for a ride after a school activity.

We still await bids on a green house – with planned use by students from both Chipman at South; as well as an outdoor seating area next to the cafeteria.

All of this work, which was funded by a voter supported referendum in 2006, is expected to be complete within the next few weeks - just in time for the teachers to arrive. These are going to be some beautiful improvements on an old school that has always looked a little thread-bare. We think when you see it you’ll agree.