**DSB ONE MEDIA RELEASE**

Students may be off on their summer break, and the work continues at District School Board Ontario North East. Well over 200 projects are planned at schools across the district this summer, worth an estimated 18-million dollars.

“It’s one of the busiest summers for upgrades we’ve ever had,” says Manager of Building Services, Carole Horton. “It’s definitely a lot of work to do in a short period of time.”

Some summer projects include: the installation of LED signs in front of all schools, replacement of school PA systems, roof replacements at Iroquois Falls Secondary School and Kapuskasing District High School, a foundation upgrade at Kapuskasing District High School and the installation of energy-efficient retrofit LED lighting at Schumacher Public School, R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School, and Timiskaming District Secondary School.

“We will be re-tendering the ventilation projects for new smudging rooms in all of our high schools, as well as Ross Beattie,” adds Horton. “We will also begin our plumbing retrofits to replace old lead piping. We will be starting in our Timmins area schools and anticipate working in our other communities next year.”

Two of the most exciting projects of the summer include the construction of a new 3,237 square foot YMCA child care centre in the Northern wing of Schumacher Public School. The centre will include infant, toddler and preschool spaces with an accessible area.

“Access to quality licensed child care is important to our families,” says Board Chair, Bob Brush. “We are proud that we will be able to bring this to our young families in Schumacher.”

Meantime, landscaping has already begun on a new 3.3-million dollar track and artificial turf field in front of Timmins High and Vocational School. The turf is to be installed this summer, while the special rubberized track will be installed next year.

“The new track will become the first of its kind in Timmins, and the only artificial turf field north of North Bay,” says Director of Education, Lesleigh Dye. “We’re quite excited to unveil the finished product.”

“Our Athletic Department is really thrilled about our new artificial turf field, the only one of its kind in the North East,” says Kris Koskela, Health and Physical Education Department Head at Timmins High. “Installation of the new track will allow our Track & Field team to practice on our own property and eliminate the expense of renting the Timmins Regional Athletics and Soccer Complex.”

Koskela adds, “We look forward to having a top of the line facility which will allow us to host Board Track and Field meets, High School NEOAA Championships, NEOAA Central division track meets and OFSAA soccer. We will also be looking to host annual High School and Elementary soccer tournaments during the Fall and Spring seasons.”