Township 3rd Graders Participate In Claremont Road School Beam Signing

Added by Bill Bowman on June 2, 2017.
Saved under Schools

District 3rd Graders were among those who signed a beam at the new Claremont Road School construction site on June 2.

Representatives from the school district’s 3rd Grade classes were among those who participated in a June 2 “beam signing” ceremony at the Claremont Road School construction site.

The beam, specially painted white so the signatures could be more easily seen, was later placed in the area that will become the school’s second-floor library.

“It’s really important what you’re doing today,” schools Superintendent John Ravally told the students. “When you guys are done with it, this will be part of the school forever. We really appreciate you taking the time out of your school day.”

Administrators at each elementary school picked students from each of their 3rd Grade sections to represent the rest of the school, said Mary Clark, the district’s spokeswoman. The 3rd Graders were chosen because they will be the among the first 5th Graders in the school when it opens for the 2018-19 school year, she said.

Also taking their turn signing the beam were members of the Board of Education, the district administration and the principals of the six elementary schools.

After everyone had signed, steelworkers affixed the beam to a crane, which then lifted it up and away to the structure’s second floor.

Once up there, the beam was attached to the rest of the school’s skeleton by other steelworkers, to the cheers and applause from the students.

The $34 million school construction was the cornerstone of the school district’s $85 million referendum, which was approved by voters in December 2014. The referendum is also funding construction work at most of the district’s other schools, in preparation for an eventual realignment of grades.