Bishop Feild parents encouraged by structural report

There is hope for downtown community school Bishop Feild after a structural engineering report for was released this week.

Parent and school coach Clay Reimersaid he'srelieved that information on the structural integrity and future of the elementary school has been released.

• Bishop Feild is structurally sound, but won't be open in September
• Bishop Feild likely won't be ready for September: English School District

"I'm very encouraged that they've provided us with the report. We've asked them multiple times to give us timelines around when the report is going to be done," Reimer said.

Reimer is a member of a parents' group that came together to push for accountability for the future of the school.

"We need to make sure and to keep pressure on around this timeline," Reimer said.

The 195-page report detailsthe necessary remediationwork and associated costs to repair the 89-year-old school.

"Our remaining concern is just, 'Hey,please get it done as quickly as you can so we can have our kids back in our school,'" he said.

Hope for the school

The structural assessment is giving hope tothe community that the school will live to learn another day, said Reimer.

The entire ceiling will need to be replaced, along with other critical work that needs to be completed before the school can reopen, says the report.

"By and large people are encouraged. I think there has been waves of concern when we haven't had information but in recent communications from the government they have been forthcoming," said Reimer.

Since October kids have been bused across town to the former School for the Deaf on Topsail Road.

It isn't the same community school. It's a different school experience.- Clay Reimer

"The kids have adjusted quite well. The teachers have made it home for them, it's been fine, but it isn't our downtown community school," Reimer said.

After-school accessibility is a problem due to the distance to the school from its community.

"The after-school activities, in my case basketball, have been diminished because people need to get a ride out to that school and so numbers have been down," Reimer said.

Won't be ready for September

"It isn't the same community school.It's a different school experience," he said.

The school will not be open for the start of the 2018-2019 school year.

A fundraiser was held Saturday night at Brother Rice Junior High to raise money for educational tools for Bishop Feild.

The event featured a silent auction, food from local chefs Jeremy Charles, Damian Marner, and Shaun Hussey as well as music from musicians including Jody Richardson, Colleen Power, Laura Winter, Erin Power, Duane Andrews, Jenny Gear andSandy Morris.