Classical set to welcome pupils’ return

LYNN – Much of the grounds of Classical High School on O’Callaghan Way still resemble a scrap yard, but with work complete on the front lobby and office area as well as having electricity restored to the building, teachers are ready to welcome back students today.Sophomore, junior and senior students who start class this morning will see excavators on the grass and tarps covering portions of the school’s exterior, but the area of the building they will inhabit remains uncompromised by the construction.Contractors worked two shifts throughout the summer repairing the first-floor lobby and office area while students and staff were out of the school. Construction will continue through the autumn months on a second-shift schedule only, as contractors work to replace a sinking concrete support slab that serves as the school’s foundation. If construction remains on schedule, the work should be complete at this time next year.Classical Principal Warren White said Wednesday he was impressed with the work done over the summer, and he looks forward to welcoming back students for another year.”I am very happy with the condition of the building at this point in time,” he said. “This is an exciting time. We are ready to welcome our freshmen from last year coming in to the new building as sophomores for the first time. We are eager to get started and give them a chance to shine.”Like last year, the construction has displaced freshmen to the Classical Freshman Academy at the Fecteau-Leary School on North Common Street.New freshmen arrived for class Wednesday and, all things considered, school officials say the day went fairly smooth.”We have (more than) 300 new, eager faces coming in here this year,” said acting Principal Judith Taylor. “I am remembering the eager faces that came in last year and we are all a little sad that we can’t be at the new building to see them as sophomores, but we have a new group of eager students ready to get going.”White and the majority of the Classical staff were at the Freshman Academy Wednesday morning, getting to know students and helping teachers get organized for the new year.Members of the athletic department were on hand to talk to students interested in playing sports, and leaders of after-school clubs explained the bus shuttle program available to bring freshmen to the school’s West Lynn campus.A few schedule glitches and late arriving students created some stressful situations early on in the day, but Taylor says that is to be expected and having the staff from the new building there to help made the process much easier.”It is a big thing (having staff from the other building help on the first day). All of the department heads were here to introduce themselves to the students, guidance councilors helped with the new students and teachers were on hand to help with all of the paper work that you have to fill out at the beginning of the year,” she said. “They made good use of the staggered starting schedule.Superintendent Nicholas Kostan said he has been in both Classical locations and expects a smooth opening today on O’Callaghan Way.”The ninth-grade is up at the Fecteau-Leary once again this year. That was a successful program last year and it seems to be going well so far again this year. The freshmen over at English are having a good start today, too,” said Kostan. “I know the work is on schedule up there and I expect to see the other students in O’Callaghan Way on Thursday.”