SABATTUS – Progress continues on construction for a new school for grades 3-8 being built on Ballpark Road.

“I think it’s going very well,” School Superintendent Paul Malinski said. Workers have recently poured a lot of concrete for foundations and walls in addition to doing a lot of earthwork, he said.

“They’ve moved a lot of dirt,” Malinski said. Workers have also shaped the athletic facilities, which will eventually include a baseball field and a softball field. The outfields of these will probably be used for a soccer field, he said. School officials have been working on getting easements for electrical power and sewer lines, he said.

“We’re pretty well finished with most of those,” Malinski said on Monday. In approximately a week to two weeks, workers will start putting up steel, he said.

“Then things will go reasonably quickly.”

Arthur C. Dudley Construction/Builder of Standish is the general contractor for the project. The 48,000-square-foot new school will house grades 3-8 on Ballpark Road.

The old school will be renovated for grades K-2. The project has been in the works for approximately 13 years and will, in total, cost approximately $9.1 million, Malinski said. Voters approved the project in June 2002.

The new school will hold 375 students. Among other features, the superintendent said, it will have a new music room, a new art room and a larger library. School officials estimate completion of the project by July 2004.

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