One local middle school finds itself scrambling to get ready for the first day of school which is just days away.

School begins on Monday, but Curran Middle School is in the middle of a major renovation and remodeling project that has some wondering if the school will be ready for students.

Carpenters are still tearing out old bookcases and some classrooms are stripped with wires dangling from the ceiling. Curran Middle School is undergoing major renovation.

Teachers came back this week to get their class rooms ready for the new school year. "I found all of the front office furniture in my room, all of my desks stacked on top of each other and just things everywhere in my room."

Curran is one of four schools in the Bakersfield City School District being renovated and modernized with money from a voter approved $100 million dollar bond measure passed in 2006 to renovate schools.

But Curran appears to be the school furthest behind schedule. The District says not to worry. "It will be ready for Monday for the kids to come back. We'll have all the required facilities in place. Temporarily we'll have the office moved to a different location till the office is finished."

Above 900 students are anticipated at Curran Middle School for the 2008-09 school year. With all the construction, not all bathrooms are done yet.
"Monday we'll have five functioning bathrooms for the students in addition to portables if we need to bring in portables."

While the renovation works goes on, teachers admit it's not exactly what they were expecting, but it's not so bad though there is no air conditioning right now. "This is new, but it's doable it's workable. It'll be beautiful when it's done, its' not as bad as it looks. It'll be beautiful! We've been waiting for it, we've been promised it and now the day has come and I can't wait."

The cost for renovating and modernizing Curran Middle4 School is $4.6 million dollars. The project is expected to be completed in 2009.