School science labs to get makeover

January 16, 1997

By KERRY LYNN FRALEY

Staff Writer

Boonsboro High School students will get more hands-on instruction in the sciences, thanks to a nearly $1.02 million renovation project expected to begin next month, according to school officials.

The project includes a total remodeling of the school's six science labs to increase the number of student work stations and add a computer room where students can access the Internet while working on experiments, said Dennis McGee, the school system's director of facilities.

"Rather than listening, they participate a lot more," said McGee, who said the school system has been aggressive in going after state money to update the science labs at all county high schools.

It's been done little by little, starting with the science labs at South Hagerstown High School about 10 years ago, he said.

Next on the list after Boonsboro High School is Clear Spring High, said McGee. He said that project, at an estimated cost of $782,000, has been approved for $256,000 in state funding for fiscal 1998.

Because of technological leaps in the past 10 years, South High's labs require some updates, which are included in a major renovation plan proposed for the school, he said.

The Washington County Board of Education on Tuesday night awarded the contract for the Boonsboro High School project to Antietam Construction of Hagerstown, the lowest of nine bidders for the project at $852,000.

Additional costs bring the total for the project to just over $1 million, McGee said.

The local cost for the project will be offset by $433,000 in state funding, he said.

Work is expected to begin in February, said McGee, who expects the project to be completed before the start of the 1997-1998 school year.

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