Fernway Is Ready for the First Day of School

Dear Fernway Families,

I hope you are enjoying the remainder of your summer.

As we prepare for the start of another school year, I wanted to share an update on the renovation project at Fernway. As planned, students will begin the school year in their regular classrooms. While a small portion of the project will continue into the school year, the remaining work will have minimal impact on students' daily experience.

Overall, construction has made tremendous progress, and we are excited about the transformation taking place. While the building may still look like an active construction site in some areas, that's often the nature of projects this size, where the biggest visual changes happen right at the end. As with any major construction project, however, some timelines have shifted. I want to share the most current information we have while also noting that plans may continue to evolve over the next couple of weeks.

One remaining challenge is the delivery of some of the exterior window glass needed to fully enclose portions of the building. We have been working closely with REED Construction, our architects, and the Regional Office of Education (ROE), which has confirmed that we can safely begin the school year with temporary wall panels installed in the areas awaiting glass. These panels will be painted to match the surrounding walls until the permanent glass is installed.

Most importantly, these delays do not affect classrooms or student learning spaces. Students will begin the school year in their regular classrooms with fully functioning air conditioning, and lunch will be served in the commons as planned.

Student safety remains our highest priority. All occupied areas of the building have been reviewed to ensure they are safe and ready for students on the first day of school.

Because the new administrative offices are not yet complete, the main office will temporarily operate from its location from last school year (door #8), and some staff members will work from available classrooms until construction is finished. Families can continue to call the school, report absences, pick up students, and access office services as they normally would.

You may also notice construction materials and equipment near the front of the building. We currently expect much of this equipment to be removed before students arrive, allowing parking lots and traffic patterns to return to normal. As additional details regarding arrival, dismissal, and parking become available, we will share those updates with families through ParentSquare prior to the first day of school.

Although a few finishing touches will continue after students return, we are incredibly excited to welcome everyone into a beautifully renovated school. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and support throughout this project. We look forward to welcoming our students back for another fantastic school year!

Sincerely,
John Conley
Principal