Centennial Approves More Than $167,000 for High School Change Orders

With a unanimous 7-0 vote, the Centennial School Board Tuesday night approved of $167,532.66 in various change orders for the ongoing construction of the new William Tennent High School.

The orders included approximately $19,000 in additional structural support for the planetarium dome, approximately $13,000 to replace a chair lift wall that was deemed unsound and $46,000 for additional laborers to complete classroom additions.

It was reported Tuesday afternoon in that the cost of the approved change orders would put the overall construction and renovation of the new high school over budget by $4 million. School board director Mark Miller strongly disagreed with the article Tuesday night and asserted that the project is actually under budget.

"We were budgeted for $84 million, and right now we are at $69 million overall," said Miller.

Centennial administrators have agreed to send documentation showing these numbers, but as of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Patch has not received them.

The school board also approved to contract Dr. Barbara Burke-Stevenson at $675 a day to continue her work as acting principal for William Tennent. The agreement started Jan. 3 and does not have an end date. Stevenson took over principal duties for Eileen Poroszok, who took a leave of absence last fall. 

Another contract was executed between the district and David Yates, who will provide administrative consulting services for until March 1.

The board also rejected a bid for the sale of the Leary Elementary property and is actively seeking new bids.