Peabody’s Center School to receive new windows

PEABODY – The old saying “better late than never” pairs quite well with the recent news that new windows will finally be installed at the Center School.School Business Manager Mike Musto announced Tuesday night that the long-awaited installation will begin as soon as the second week of September, nearly six months later than they anticipated.The School Committee first approved Mayor Michael Bonfanti’s suggestion to remove the old, leaky windows and replace them with much needed newer and safer ones back in December.The city chose to use $600,000 from the sale of the Brown School, as that was the anticipated cost of the project. However, an additional $100,000 from capital was needed to cover unexpected masonry work.Musto said after an investigation of the building, architects found that the brick framing would weaken during the removal process. In order to create a safe base for the windows, some brickwork had to be done.The money from the Brown School was originally designated for repairs to the Higgins Middle School, but would have barely made a dent in its long to-do list. The middle school was and still is in a good position to receive state funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.The Center School was initially given a March installation date, which meant moving students around during the day to avoid interruptions from construction. However, various reasons caused the project to slow down and the completion date was bumped to August, and now early November.Contractors have signed up for an 8-week installation process that will take place during second shift from 3-11:30 p.m.”They’ll do one or two rooms a day,” Musto said. “They’ll start with the older section around the back (of the school) and work toward the front.”He assured the Committee that teacher instruction will not be disrupted, nor will students have to move from their classrooms.”By the morning, the classrooms will be completely clean and free of debris,” he said.