CDSBEO schools ready for students

All students are back in school throughout Ontario. In Eastern Ontario, the English catholic school district has spent the past summer on some extra upgrade work for several of its schools, thanks to some extra infrastructure funds from the Education Ministry.

Roger Cauley, plant and maintenance manager for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO), presented district trustees, Aug. 30, with a summary report of the upgrade work finished over the summer and during the 2015-2016 school term. Cauley’s staff either supervised or were themselves responsible for finishing “a considerable number of projects” at more than 46 CDSBEO facilities.

“It has been an extremely busy year for our department,” stated Cauley. “We’ve completed several significant projects, and many other upgrades within board facilities.”

A mid-July funding announcement from the ministry resulted in an extra $227,000 for the CDSBEO under the provincial School Renewal Program and more than $2 million from the School Condition Improvement Program. Cauley noted the extra money allowed for completion of several projects not already scheduled for attention during the past school term. Most of the additional improvements added to Cauley’s “completion list” included air conditioning upgrades at two district schools, painting at seven CDSBEO facilities, and flooring work at two sites.

In Rockland the St. Patrick Catholic School saw renovations to some existing rooms to meet increased need for daycare programming at the school. The work included new washrooms, work cubbies, flooring, doors and paint.

Other schools in the CDSBEO saw upgrades for building heating systems, accessibility improvements for students, staff, and visitors to meet the requirements of the Ontario Disabilities Act, installation of portables, upgrades of hospitality rooms and some drinking water fountains, and improvements of playground areas.