WAITE PARK -- After starting construction earlier this year, District 742's Quarryview Early Education Center has fallen a month behind schedule, however, the district is taking steps to ensure it opens on time.

Some of these steps include the contractors working longer days, and bringing in more manpower. The current delays are from getting some structural steel, and the recent wet weather.

Superintendent Willie Jett says, while he can't say there's no further risk to construction, they're still confident it will be ready for students next fall.

"I'll never say there's no risk, but we're still anticipating opening up in the fall that's still the goal and nothing has thrown us off of that at the moment."

 

Jett says they usually include 8-12 weeks of "cushion" in these projects, so the delay will be barely a hiccup.

"Of course we wanted to get in there right away in June, so the staff can get comfortable and do a few things. But if there is something that comes up, some catastrophic moment, we still have that summer to make sure we take care of it and do it the right way."

 

There will be no extra cost to the district related to this delay.

Quarryview is being built to replace the old Roosevelt Education Center, that was destroyed in a fire three years ago. After that fire, the district was forced to move its early childhood education center to Colt’s Academy in St. Joseph.

The now rebuilt Roosevelt houses three of District 742’s Special Education programs.

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