The new media center at Carbon High School is one of the first things people see when they enter the school through the new main entrance.
Carbon School District Press Release
The rebuild of Carbon High School was continuing as school began in August and each day a little more gets done as the building moves toward completion. Meanwhile, instruction goes on as staff and students alike work around some inconvenience and displacement at times, understanding that the final result will be worth it.
“We have construction projects going on here and there and every once in a while teaches and students have to vacate an area for a day or two and then they get back in,” said Carbon High Principal Jarad Hardy as he sat in his new office that the administration has only occupied for a few weeks. “None of this has been unexpected. We knew we would have to do that.”
The projects in the school consist of not only remodeling, but in some areas, totally new construction has taken place or is underway. The whole outside courtyard in front of the school has been filled in, an area that now accommodates a new main entrance, administrative offices, media center and classrooms, including some rooms built for concurrent enrollment instruction that is broadcasted from Utah State University.
The addition in the southeast part of the building near the auditorium is part of a revamp that will become the fine arts area of the school. That area is closed off to students completely until it is done, but it will accommodate a new art room, choir room and a large area behind the auditorium that will house the theater department. Classes related to those areas are now being held in the portable classrooms that are located north of the school. Those units will be removed once construction is finished.
“The fine arts area will be open sometime soon, maybe in about six weeks,” said Hardy, although he cautioned that it is hard to put an exact date on projects because a lot of the work in the building has been slowed due to material shipping delays.
Hardy said that they are planning an open house for the public when things are finished, but at this point, he cannot put a date on when that will happen.
In addition to Hardy, who was an assistant principal last year, the two other administrators have changed as well. Steve Pay, who taught theater for many years at Carbon, is now an assistant principal, and Kerry Jensen is serving his third stint as an assistant principal at the school.
Hardy said with the first quarter winding down, things look good for the year academically as well.
“That first quarter of school is always tough for students, and after a year like last year, it has been a big change to move into this year not only with the transformation of the facility, but also getting back to normal. But, things have gone well and we expect a great year here at Carbon High,” he concluded.