Westmont Hilltop School District classes to start on time

WESTMONT - Classes are expected to start on time for students at Westmont Hilltop School District.

During Monday night’s school board meeting, the concern of asbestos in the high school building was a concern on if the date would be pushed back.

“There’s no consideration to change the start date of classes,” school board president Matt Thomas said Tuesday.

Officials said a $25,000 change order was approved at the school board meeting to pay workers overtime to get rid of the asbestos and finish up renovations.

“We’ve authorized second and third shifts to be organized with subcontractors for work to be done correctly, and be done in time for school to start,” high school principal Thomas Mitchell said.

Both the principal and school board president have no fear the project will be completed on time for students to return for their 2016-2017 school year.

In the meantime, changes are being made throughout the district for students.

This year, kindergarten through fourth grade will remain at Westmont Hilltop elementary school, but fifth and sixth graders will be moving into a temporary building for the year.

“The Cathedral Catholic Academy became available at the close of last school year, so we leased the space from the diocese for the fifth and sixth graders,” said Steve McGee. interim school district superintendent.

The middle school is currently being demolished, with the goal to rebuild a new elementary and middle school for students by the 2017-2018 school year.

The superintendent said the change is ideal for students, as seventh and eighth graders will now move to the high school with 9-12 grades.

With fifth and sixth graders moving to St. Clement in Johnstown, officials said some changes have to be made.

“We're cognitive on the fact that it’s still established and maintained as a religious building," McGee said. "St. Clement Church still holds session there.

"We also realized we have to separate the church from the school so we made arrangements with Father Rosenbaum to cover up the religious artifacts during those transition places in the building so they’re not exposed."

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