By Joe Olenick<br><a href="mailto:joe.olenick@lockportjournal.com">E-mail Joe</a>
PENDLETON — PENDLETON — Starpoint’s $14.9 million capital project is on track to be finished this fall.
Most of the work completed this summer included the roofs of all four Starpoint schools. The roof on the high school wasn’t originally part of the plan, but was added when it suffered damage last year because of high winds.
Superintendent C. Douglas Whelan said about 200 classrooms districtwide have had InFocus projectors installed. At Starpoint Intermediate, two computer labs have been added and should be completed before the first day of school, Sept. 8. The middle school auditorium’s lights, stage rigging and curtain have all been replaced, and air conditioning has been added.
Floor tiles were being laid at the computer labs Friday, while some parking lots are being repaved. Starpoint personnel will be giving the buildings a final cleanup before students return to school.
“We’ll be ready to go,” Whelan said. “There’s some minor things to finish up this fall, but should be finished soon.”
Last year the district had finished work on a new music wing, connecting Fricano Elementary School with the district’s other buildings. A new parking lot with 200 spaces is near completion at Fricano.
Thanks to how the bids for work came in, the entire capital project is about $1 million under budget. The district also didn’t have to borrow $500,000, while the project bottom line was helped out with the district’s overall financial picture.
At a school board meeting last week, District Director of Administrative Services Jonathan Andrews said Starpoint’s bond rating had improved. The improved rating saves the district money in borrowing to pay for the capital project.
Andrews said Starpoint’s rating is now AA minus, just four spots from the highest bond rating possible at AAA. Starpoint was rated an A previously, before moving up two spots.
Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.
