Finishing touches being done on Bob Jones addition
By Staff
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
The multi-colored tile floors are being cleaned and buffed.
The carpets have been laid. The walls have a fresh coat of paint on them and furniture will be arriving shortly.
Construction workers this week are putting the final touches on the new $3 million addition to Bob Jones High School that is slated to be ready for occupancy in two weeks.
The school's principal, Sam Rombokas, said students and teachers can hardly wait to get into the new addition and begin using the state-of-the-art facility.
New to the curriculum offerings at the school is a health care science class. It will occupy several classrooms on the second floor. Along with four, regular-sized classrooms similar to those in the existing building, the second floor will house a new biology lab nearly twice the size of the existing lab.
"Next fall, we will be offering an ROTC program here at Bob Jones High School and we will have a new classroom and ROTC facilities available for that program," Rombokas said. "We are currently looking for the instructor for this new program."
On the lower level, a new culinary arts department will occupy a section of rooms housing a living room, dining room, commercial kitchen and regular-sized kitchens. Rombokas said if for some reason the kitchen located in the cafeteria was unable to be used, the commercial style kitchen in the culinary arts department can take on the task of feeding the more than 1,479 students attending the high school.
"We've really put a lot of thought into the design of the addition and we're very blessed to have an architectural firm who has expertise in building schools," Rombokas said.
The northwest portion of the new addition contains a giant band room, practice rooms, a library, and offices. Rombokas said the band room has been designed with convenience in mind for the band students. He noted that the existing band room would be converted into a choral room after renovations are made.
"We are expecting to begin using the new addition in the next two weeks and we've tentatively set a date of Jan. 23 for a ribbon cutting ceremony," Rombokas said. "The exterior landscaping is just about done and the walls and sidewalks are being cleaned. We're ready to get in the new addition and start putting it to use."
