FARMINGTON – Students, staff and construction workers are learning their way around the Mt. Blue High School and Foster Career and Technical Education Center, where a $65 million renovation and addition continues this year.

“It feels like it is cramped with all the kids and construction,” high school senior Jazmine Chick said from her desk in the shop class. “Other than that it is beautiful.”

Chick pointed to the wooden ceiling of Main Street, a corridor that runs from one end of the school to the other.

A new two-story classroom wing opened this school year. An existing three-story classroom wing is closed and under construction. A one-story wing opened last school year. Outside are 12 portable classrooms to handle the overflow of students until the project is done, hopefully in September 2013.

A spacious, new food court looks out toward a courtyard. It has lime green chairs in a variety of sizes set at white-topped tables, also at different heights. Food service staff were busy in the kitchen and serving area preparing for lunch.

“I was amazed at all the choices students have,” RSU 9 Superintendent Michael Cormier said as he stopped to look at the kitchen Monday. Among the menu choices were pizza, cheeseburgers, ham Italians, fun fish or ocean treats, and peanut butter and jelly.

In the new two-story wing, Cormier stopped at an earth science class taught by Patti Millette. He moved down the hallway explaining what each room is now and what it will be when the project is completed.

In a chemistry class, teacher Jan Collins set up an experiment before students arrive. She put small batches of different white substances on surfaces. Students will have to determine what each one is, she said.

Farther down the hallway, Riley Laflin and Shawnee Ellis, both juniors from New Vineyard, study on the floor in front of lockers. Friend, senior Corey Iba of Wilton stops to check out what they are doing.

Laflin and Ellis both said they like the new addition.

“It’s good. It’s nice,” Laflin said.

A couple of other students sit in a gathering area at the top of the stairs leading down to Main Street. They, too, tell Superintendent Cormier they like the school.

Downstairs in the library, librarian and media specialist, Pam Bean worked with student volunteers to stock books on the new shelves.

In the one-story addition, a steady stream of students walk toward the outdoors where 12 mobile units referred to as the “condos” hold more than 20 classrooms. Each class has 18 to 24 students, Cormier said.

Traveling in the opposite direction into the school are students who just finished classes out there. They have five minutes between classes to get where they need to be.

Mt. Blue Principal Monique Poulin will have double duty this year acting as head of campus. She will receive support from Cormier. Her duties include resolving conflicts among all entities residing at the campus and management of big picture procedures on the campus.

The campus will house not only the high school and career and technology center, but adult education and Franklin County Community College. The latter two are still run off campus.

The project is going well, Cormier said.

“I am pleased,” he said.

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