The City of Alexandria has issued a preliminary certificate of occupancy for the new T.C. Williams High School and the first staff has moved into the building.

This is an exciting milestone and means that the project, which began three years ago, is substantially complete, Mark Burke said at last weeks Alexandria School Board meeting. Most of the year-round administrators will be in their offices within the next two weeks. Classroom furniture will be delivered in July and teachers will all have access to their classrooms on Aug. 20. The first students will be in the building in August because athletic practices begin. Everything will be ready for all students to return on Sept. 4.

Assistant Superintendent John Porter said that T. C. staff will schedule tours for parents and students before the opening of school so that students will have at least some idea of where they are going that first day. The grand opening is not scheduled until Oct. 14, during homecoming weekend.

We want to live in the building for a while to resolve any issues that might exist, Porter said.

The grand opening will consist of an all-day celebration with tours of the school, musical performances by school bands, choirs and orchestras, a slide show about the old and new buildings and the dedication of the Ferdinand Day Commons.

As the new school is opening, the old one will be torn down. The building will not be imploded but will be taken down in sections by a wrecking ball. Demolition will begin in late July or early August and will be complete during winter break. The remaining site work and construction of the parking garage will be complete by August, 2008. Including renovation of Parker-Gray Stadium, the total cost will be just over $100 million.