Two and a half years into a stalled renovation project, the Montour School District is looking into closing its high school complex for the 2010-11 year to cut construction time in half.

"The idea is that we would displace students for one academic year instead of building around them for two years," Acting Superintendent Donald Boyer said Wednesday.

Dr. Boyer said he met with the high school staff Monday to outline the administration's thought processes, and that outsized rumors have been percolating through the district.

The Montour board is scheduled to act on renovation-related construction documents at its meeting at 7 p.m. today in the large group instruction room in the David E. Williams Middle School on Porters Hollow Road in Kennedy.

Dr. Boyer said the possible relocation plan is not on the agenda.

"It's two months too early," he said. Given the rumors, though, he said he will likely address the topic.

Among the rumors circulating this week in e-mails and via telephone throughout the district:

• Construction bids came in high. Dr. Boyer said it's not true. Bids won't even go out until Feb. 10 at the earliest, and will be due back in March.

• Sports will be canceled. The gymnasium, pool and stadium complex would remain open and athletics would go on, with perhaps some adjustments in the use of practice fields.

• Classes will be held in the vacant Giant Eagle store on Steubenville Pike. "For one thing, I don't even know where this Giant Eagle is," said Dr. Boyer, a resident of the Harrisburg area who is filling the Montour job on a temporary basis. "For another, it wouldn't have enough toilets. Any space we use has to meet the standards for use as a school."

He said the administration has looked at about nine different possibilities for housing students and is still seeking more ideas. If the plan moves forward -- and Dr. Boyer stressed that it has not yet been approved -- the administration would offer four or five possibilities to the board in March.

Among the drawbacks to such a plan is that students might need to be split up -- few buildings would be able to take on the whole school. But Dr. Boyer said asbestos has been found in five new places in the existing schools, which would compound the problems that would already come in doing the renovation as classes carried on.

Those include moving classrooms multiple times, potential power outages, a lack of parking, conflicts between school and construction vehicles and potential dangers to students from construction materials.

"The two main concerns of the board and administration are first, the health and welfare of our students and staff, and second, maintaining our educational program with continuity and completeness," Dr. Boyer said.

Montour closed off its auditorium and science labs in 2007 to begin demolition for the renovation project, but never started construction after bids came in high in early 2008.

The board replaced its architect and construction team in December 2008 and unveiled new plans in 2009.

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