Dear CPS Families and Staff,

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the renovation project at CRLS.  What a remarkable experience! Some parts of the building, especially those that will be closed to staff and students in the fall, are under heavy demolition and construction.  All you can see are rooms that are shells of their former selves.  In other parts of the building, projects are near completion and look incredible.  The next couple of weeks are expected to be a particularly busy time period with the arrival of new furniture and equipment along with the return of teachers’ belongings, consisting of over 3,200 packing crates, into the renovated areas.  This endeavor will take approximately three weeks to complete.  In the first couple of weeks in August, information will be mailed to all CRLS faculty and students detailing pedestrian traffic routes and outlining campus limits.

When the project is completed in the fall of 2011, students and facility will enjoy a state of the art facility designed to meet LEEDS certification which requires building materials, mechanical systems and practices meet high standards to ensure a sustainable environment.  For more information about the many aspects of the renovation please click on the icon above titled CRLS renovation project.

Rather than try to tell you more about the project in words, please scroll through the photos from the visit and you will see what I mean.  You can’t help but feel growing excitement about this project.  As you can plainly see, teaching and learning spaces, as well as common spaces, are seeing upgrades that will improve the quality of life and education at the high school.

As the year progresses we will use this space to keep you posted on the progress of this important project. In the meantime, next time you see a CRLS staff member, please give him/her a pat on the back and remind them that there is light at the end of this tunnel.

Jeff Young
Superintendent of Schools

Arts Building office

Arts Building second floor hallway

Rindge Building classrooms demolished, June 2010

View the entire gallery of images: CRLS Renovation Photos

As of noon on Friday June 25, over 3200 orange storage crates packed by staff and faculty have been moved to an off site storage facility. By the middle of the last week of June all of the remaining classroom furniture will have be moved out and sent to a recycling facility. By July 6, 2010, the building will be turned over to the contractor and demolition of interior space will begin.

Please note that as of July 6 the main office will be relocated to the Broadway side of the building where it will remain until completion of the renovation project in September of 2011.

A special thanks to all staff and faculty for the great job of packing and helping to keep the project on schedule. Watch this space for more photos and updates over the summer.

CRLS, June 24, 2010