Carbon School District Provides Update on School Projects

During the August Carbon County Chamber of Commerce’s Live at Lunch event, Superintendent Lance Hatch gave updates on the Helper Middle School (HMS) and Carbon High School (CHS) construction projects.

For Helper Middle School, he began by informing all in virtual attendance that the building was constructed in the 1930s. There have been concerns regarding the safety of the building and a wish to make it more structurally sound.

Plans to replace the heating and cooling systems within the school were also established. Upon further research, it was quickly discovered that there are more issues with the building than the district realized.

However, Superintendent Hatch stated that COVID-19 made it possible to have lower bids. School contractors are not as busy as usual because schools are not going out for bonds at this time.

Due to bid prices coming in so low, there is extra money to build a brand new structure that will attach to the current Helper Junior High gym. The gym and some classrooms will be kept with the rest being a new two-story structure. Supt. Hatch also informed all that they will demolish areas of the old building and create more parking.

“The one silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud is that we’re going to be able to get a new structure at Helper Middle School,” Supt. Hatch said.

Shifting focus to the CHS project, he remarked that it is moving along as well. There are eight portable classrooms in the back of the school and there is still not enough room.

As programs are increased to prepare students for life after high school, they will begin to run out of space. The student body is such that classrooms are needed and the lack of space was becoming a major issue. The district is working to address a number of issues with the project.

The plan is to convert the current library into six classrooms while the existing patio will be feature a brand new construction. They are developing classrooms as well for distance learning and the district’s transportation department will be moved to nearly double the parking available at CHS.

Supt. Hatch concluded his presentation by stating that there is more work being completed each day.