A contractor's office trailer on the grounds of Ringing Rocks Elementary School is the surest sign yet that construction there is soon to be under way.

POTTSTOWN PA – When Pottsgrove School District teachers arrive today (Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010) for in-service training to prepare for next week’s opening of district schools, they’ll be treated to a slide show that displays the former St. Pius X High School – and temporary home to displaced Ringing Rocks Elementary pupils – in before-and-after photos.

An empty dumpster sits outside Ringing Rocks, ready to receive building debris.

The pictures graphically demonstrate what a difference a month makes, Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis indicated Tuesday (Aug. 24).

Judging only from what the camera lens froze in time, it’s safe to say the North Keim Street, Pottstown PA, high school’s previous occupants were in a hurry to move to their brand new surroundings at Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford PA. Conditions of their departure seemed less than pristine … and that’s being polite.

“We’ve had access to Pius since Aug. 1,” Landis reported during the district Board of School Directors meeting. “Since then, we’ve spent a lot of time cleaning and moving classrooms,” he said. Some computer wiring was replaced or supplemented, the district’s Internet service and phone systems were installed, and the building was fit enough Tuesday that kindergarten students and their parents could enjoy tours during orientation sessions.

“We’re ready there” to start classes, Landis announced.

The district has leased Pius from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for about 18 months to house students and staff from Ringing Rocks, as their building at 1401 Kauffman Rd., Pottstown PA, is renovated and enlarged. Construction there also could begin as soon as next week, district Business Administrator David Nester said.

“We’re in the process of signing final paperwork” for building permits with Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township, and for other final agreements before construction starts, according to Nester. All contractor licenses have been verified, he said, and some materials have already been ordered.

Outside Ringing, a contractor’s office trailer has already been erected and several waste dumpsters placed in the parking lot surrounding the school’s front door.

To that end the school board Tuesday authorized administrators to submit to the state Department of Education a revised budget – known as PlanCon Part G – for the Ringing Rocks project, based on actual bids accepted from contractors. The project cost is lower than first estimated, in part because contractors were aggressive in trying to win Pottsgrove’s business and also because its size was reduced by four classrooms.

PlanCon documents are necessary for the district to obtain partial state reimbursement of the construction cost.

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• After Month’s Work, Pius Deemed Set For Ringing Pupils
• Ringing Rocks Bids Accepted, At $1.5 Million Less
• Final Words On Ringing Rocks: Okey-Dokey
• Ringing Rocks Gets Final Plan OK
• Borrowing Authorized For Ringing Rocks Project
• Pottsgrove Signs Pius Lease For Ringing Students
• Pottsgrove Authorizes Pius Lease For Ringing Relocation
• Call Goes Out For Ringing Rocks Construction Bids
• Board OKs Ringing Rocks’ Preliminary Plans
• School Vestibule Design OK; No Decision On Rocks’ Relocation
• Ringing Rocks Plan Approval Held Until May
• Ringing Relocation Decision Deferred Again
• Township Legal Move Saves District Time, Money
• Economic Tales, Exec Sessions, And Long Night At Pottsgrove
• Geothermal Now ‘Locked’ Into Ringing Re-Build
• How Estimated Costs For Ringing Shape Up
• Less Is More In School Project, Planners Learn
• Bids Sought For Ringing Project Asbestos Removal
• Ringing Relocation Decision Possible In Two Weeks
• Restaurant, Ringing Projects Win Conditional Uses
• Ringing Rocks, Restaurant Hearing Topics Tonight
• Pottsgrove Student Enrollment: Up? Yes. Down? Yes Again
• Green Discussion At Ringing Results In Red Faces
• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
• In The Ringing Rebuild, Whither Pius?
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Plan: Modulars At MS
• Ringing Rocks Construction Cost Hearing Tonight
• Planners OK Ringing Rocks Land Sketch
• District Sets Dec. 3 Hearing On Rocks Budget
• Pottsgrove Asks State Help To Pay For Ringing Re-Build
• As School Opens, Progress On Ringing Rocks’ Project
• Surprise Enrollment Spurs Demographic Interest
• District Assembles Ringing Rocks Planning Team
• District OKs Architect Negotiations
• Consensus On Ringing Renovations: $16M
• Ringing Rocks Proposals Aired Tuesday
• Ringing Rocks Re-Examined April 14
• Pottsgrove To Trust-But-Verify On Ringing Plans
• Ringing Rocks Plans Take Another Step
• No Shortage Of Ideas At Pottsgrove Meeting
• Weigh In On Pottsgrove Renovations
• Framing The Rocks Discussion
• Response Mixed To Pottsgrove Improvements
• District Invites Public For Study Results
• A Different Rocks, But Only As A Concept

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ meeting of Aug. 24):

• After Month’s Work, Pius Deemed Set For Ringing Pupils
• Pottsgrove School Board To Meet; Coaches OK’d Earlier

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail. Share this article.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.
Find The Posts on Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Technorati, Flickr, YouTube, and RSS