From Mayor Finch:
Mayor Bill Finch joined dignitaries from across the region and hundreds of workers to celebrate the topping off of the new Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet High School at a ceremony held on the construction site on Wednesday.
Mayor Finch opened his remarks at Wednesday’s ceremony by thanking organized labor for all of their hard work on this project and others in the City of Bridgeport.
“Thanks to your efforts, our students will have a school that is built on time, on budget and to the highest standards,” said Mayor Finch.
The new high school will house 1,500 high school students, with seventy five percent being from Bridgeport. The curriculum will focus on aviation, information technology and sciences.
“You’ve built the school that will produce the next astronaut, the next scientist who will help us fight global warming,” added Mayor Finch.
Attendees of the topping off ceremony included First Selectmen Steve Vavrek of Monroe and Thomas A. Herrmann of Easton, State Senator Anthony Musto, State Rep. Charles Stallworth, City Council President Thomas McCarthy, Council members Lydia Martinez, Richard Bonney and James Holloway, and Joan DuPont, a descendant of Daniel Wheeler Fairchild.
Although Governor Dannel Malloy was not in attendance, Mayor Finch graciously thanked the Governor and the State Legislature for their efforts in making this school project a reality. In 2011, the State Legislature and Governor approved a border change that placed the state-owned parkland where the high school resides in Bridgeport.
“We wouldn’t have worked so hard to get this project started if we didn’t think it was the right thing to do for our children,” stated Finch during his remarks.
Fairchild Wheeler, the first new high school to be built in Bridgeport in 50 years, will be one of the “greenest” schools in the state; using sun and wind energy as well as reusing rainwater.
The school is set to open on time for the 2013-14 school year.
“… on time, on budget and to the highest standards.” Mayor William Finch making a prediction on a new school to be ready for the 2013-14 school year.
Should be a no-brainer, just like the remediation of the Columbus School. Beginning of school year 2012-13 school not cleared for student return? PCB in window caulking? So students are set up in rented and overcrowded situation, and then returned in Spring 2012. Wasn’t more than $1 Million extra spent to renovate conditions after the supposed opening date? Has the whole school been remediated? No. What’s the story with the off-limits classroom, sealed like a tomb today that had staff and students in it for more than 15 years? Anybody know about that story? Maybe the Mayor might be asked at a brown bag luncheon? Let’s see … “on time, on budget, and to the highest standards.” Talk is cheap. Time will tell.
Walls do not an education make.
*** Too early to claim on time and on budget, no? And what’s up with the swing-space school concept and Columbus School delays? As usual this admin. likes to hear itself talk loud yet say nothing meaningful! *** ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK! ***