New high school update includes proposed stadium

WILKES-BARRE — Fresh video of the new Wilkes-Barre Area high school construction showed windows have been installed in two buildings, a roof covers the auditorium, and walls are rising on the second floor of two classroom wings. But school district Superintendent Brian Costello also had renderings of a possible stadium sunken into the ground in front of the school, including potential placement of other athletic fields.

The small crowd at David’s Coffee Shop on Tuesday morning seemed duly impressed, with comments like “that’s the way to do it,” “beautiful” and “wow.” Costello also took some criticism and recommendations during his “coffee with the superintendent” event, staged at a regular morning gathering spot for current and former district employees. The shop was founded by retired district teacher John Joseph and his wife as a nonprofit offering work experience and companionship to autistic children. It’s named after their son.

Costello started by sharing anecdotes about his own school experiences years ago, then ran video on a pad computer of the construction site where the district is building a new school to consolidate grades 9-12 from GAR Memorial, Meyers and Coughlin high schools.

Two buildings — which already had roofs during a tour Costello provided to media a few weeks ago — Now had windows installed. “They are completely enclosed,” he said, crediting the rapid progress to a mild winter. “The only weather problem we’ve had is mud.”

The cafeteria, where contractors had been hoisting ceiling trusses four weeks ago, had been completely covered, which Costello said allowed work to continue inside regardless of any weather changes. And Costello said he has been taking teachers on tours to get their input on the classrooms now that the first floors of two wings are partitioned and work on the second floors has begun.

“One asked if it would have chalkboards or white boards, then asked if we were sure we could fit three on one wall, so we measured,” he said. Costello talked about visiting other new schools and talking to those who recently moved into new schools, getting suggestions on things like placement of wireless hubs so all computers in a room get a signal.

Then he pulled up renderings of a stadium in front of the school, sunken enough into the ground that, looking at it from the front of the school, the view beyond it will still be there. Those renderings included outlines of other athletic fields, including two baseball fields and three soccer/multipurpose fields.

None of the athletic fields have gained final approval for actual construction. The school board did vote last week to have Borton Lawson draw up design plans, which spawned the early renderings that Costello said are still in flux. The school is estimated to cost $121 million. Costello has said an estimate for the stadium, if it is built, won’t be clear until designs are further along.