A major construction project in the Miller Place School District is nearly complete, deputy superintendent Maryann Higuera announced at Wednesday’s school board meeting.

“All in all, we did five months of work in less than two,” she said.

The expansion project, which includes renovations at each school in the district, cost $25 million and was approved by bond in 2009.

At the Andrew Muller Primary School, four classrooms and a resource room have been added, bringing work in that building to a near close, Dr. Higuera said. Work at the Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School, where eight classrooms were added, is nearly finished as well.

Three classrooms, a security vestibule and an attendance and nurses office have been constructed, Dr. Higuera said. Construction of a science room will continue after school starts, as the schedule dictates.

The new addition at the high school, which includes 12 classrooms and a library media center, is complete, as are two science laboratories. At the existing building, “finishing touches” are still needed on the teacher’s resource center, the guidance and main offices and the technology education laboratory, said Dr. Higuera, adding that “minor” work is needed on the reconstruction of the computer laboratory.

Construction is wrapping up on the high school’s front entrance, main lobby and lane corridor.

“We expect that will be accessible to students by the time they arrive on Wednesday,” Dr. Higuera said.

All work still to be done at the high school will go on after students leave the building at 2 p.m., she said.

Administration building

Dr. Higuera also gave an update on the administration building, which has sparked a bit of controversy at prior board meetings, as some residents asked school officials to halt the project and instead spend the money on student programs.

The administration building was supported by district taxpayers as part of a $3.4 million bond proposal approved by just 99 votes in March 2010.

Administrators have maintained that the cost of the new building would be offset by savings the district will incur from no longer renting administrative space.

Dr.Higuera said site and foundation work has begun on the new building. The district on Wednesday negotiated a 30-year bond with Roosevelt and Cross at a 3.99 percent interest rate.

The renovation of a high school classroom, which is part of the bond, is underway, she said. The classroom is expected to be available when school begins next Wednesday.

Irene impact 

Superintendent Susan Hodun said three of the district’s four school buildings lost power on Monday morning due to Tropical Storm Irene.

North Country Road Middle School has been without power since. The district’s e-mail system and internet are not currently accessible because the server is located at the middle school.

“It’s greatly impacting what we’re trying to get done with scheduling and other things we do at this time of year,” Ms. Hodun said.

Power has been going on and off at the Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School and the Andrew Muller Primary School.

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