By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Officials with the Carthage school district are looking at three potential dates as the new deadline to move into the new Carthage High School.

While the options will be discussed, it’s unlikely any new date will be set when the Carthage R-9 Board of Education meets Monday.

The next deadline will depend on how long it takes to finish final elements of the $32 million building under construction at River Street and Airport Drive, Mark Baker, assistant superintendent for business, said Friday.

Initially, plans called for the move to take place during the Christmas holiday, and for Carthage students in grades nine through 12 to start classes in the new building after the break.

But work was slowed by too many days of bad weather early in the year, so new dates in January, February and March are being considered.

“It’s a few weeks in an 18-month long project; our main goal is that everything be done correctly,” Baker said.

New materials and furnishings will go directly to the new building, but books and other classroom materials will have to be moved from the current, 100-year-old high school downtown.

“We’ll have to be pretty precise about the change because of the things to be moved that are in use right now, such as computer labs and art equipment,” he said.

School officials also want a little time in the building before students arrive to learn about the high-tech components, such as security, lighting and heating and air conditioning.

“There is so much more technology there, we have to make sure we know how to use it,” Baker said.

He said officials have fielded questions about why they don’t simply delay the move into the new high school until summer, but renovations need to be started on the current high school. That building will be renovated for use as a junior high school, with work to include a larger kitchen and school cafeteria.

In addition to hearing reports on the new high school, board members also will consider naming a construction manager for the renovation project.

A third building project also is in the wings. Construction will start in April on a new Carthage tech center to be built near the new high school. Money for the $4.3 million project is coming from a state grant, which will be matched by a donation from the Steadley Foundation.