The expansion project for Oasis elementary, middle and high schools, which began in December, is ahead of schedule for its Aug. 1 completion date.
The expansion project is being done by NDC Construc-tion and Lawson Group Architects.
NDC Superintendent of Construction Nick Kloepfer said the existing chiller was relocated between Dec. 20 and Jan. 1 to free up the “footprint for the school.” He explained that the construction did not officially begin until Jan. 3 when the concrete was brought to the premise.
NDC Construction currently has two buildings ahead of schedule, the elementary and middle school expansions of 12 new classrooms each.
“The roofers’ should start tomorrow,” he said Monday morning about the elementary school expansion.
The roof for the middle school classroom expansion, which also includes an “airnasium,” should be completed two weeks later.
He said the elementary and middle school expansion should be a month ahead of schedule by the end of the month.
The largest expansion of 32,388 square feet, will be a two-story gymnasium behind Oasis High. The gym will have a regulation basketball court, along with 800 stadium seats, concession stand, lobby, locker rooms and three classrooms on the bottom floor. The top floor will feature three classrooms, five administrative offices, a community fitness center and an indoor cushioned walking track.
Kloepfer said the gym is also on schedule and they will “erect” the walls on March 16.
“We won’t pick up any time until walls go vertical,” he said, adding that once the walls are up, it will open up the gym for more subcontractors to be working on the project.
“By the end of May the gym will be ahead of schedule,” he said.
Sophomore Josh Ertter said he is excited about the gym because he plays soccer and football. He shared that he is looking forward to the completion of the gym because he can have physical education inside instead of outside, along with having pep rallies in the new building.
Ertter said the gym will also benefit the school spirit because they can have more home games at the school.
The gym will also have a weight room, which he is looking forward to as well.
“The weight room should be nicer,” Ertter said, adding that he is looking forward to using the new equipment. He explained that the weight room that they are working out in right now is small and run down.
“It’s a good expansion,” Ertter said.
There are currently 57 local subcontractor employees working on the expansion. Kloepfer said in two weeks he will consistently run 70 local subcontractor employees until the project is completed.
“We are glad to be here,” Kloepfer said, adding that everyone affiliated with the charter schools have been wonderful to work with.
City of Cape Coral Charter School Authority Administrator Dr. Lee Bush said the construction company and architects have been really easy to work with.
The expansion will allow the charter school to add 30 new teachers and 600 students after its completion. When completed the campus will have a capacity of 3,100 students enrolled among the three schools.
The total cost for the expansion is $7.5 million, which breaks down to $6.9 million for construction and $600,000 for new fixtures and equipment.
The bond for the project was issued by the city of Cape Coral, but the debt service is completely paid for through the Florida Educational Finance program’s per pupil state formula and about 40 percent from the capital outlay funds from the state.
Oasis Elementary School was built for the August 2005/2006 school year, Oasis Middle School and Christa McAuliffe Elementary School opened in August 206 and in 2007 a freshman academy opened at the middle school so they could open the high school in 2009.
The search for a new principal for the Oasis Middle School is also on schedule. Bush explained that for the last four years, Chris Terrill has been the principal for Oasis Middle and for the last year and a half, he has taken on the responsibility of being the high school principal as well.
The search, which began in January, attracted a little over 20 local and out-of-town applicants. Bush said a final selection of eight or nine candidates will be made by the end of the week to be interviewed. The selection for a new middle school principal will be made by April.
Terrill will continue to act as the principal of Oasis middle and high school until the end of the school year.