Phase I renovations to Dougherty’s Career Academy on schedule

ALBANY — The board of directors of the Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy (4CA) held what CEO Chris Hatcher said would be its final meeting at Albany Technical College on Wednesday. Hatcher said next month’s meeting will be held at the 4CA’s newly renovated facility at Southside Middle School.

Board members got an update on the status of ongoing renovation work, student recruitment and the effort to hire faculty for the academy.

“It’s time to get excited about (4CA). It will be a great asset to this region and the community,” Hatcher said. “Phase I of the renovation work at Southside will be completed by the first week in May. We currently occupy 25 percent of the building. The Phase II design plans are in place, and on the last day of school (May 26) we will immediately begin demo work on the rest of the building.

“We are close. In fact, our May board meeting will be held in the part of the academy that is currently nearing completion.”

Hatcher said the academy plans to hold a ribbon-cutting on May 22, with a building dedication in January, once all renovations are complete.

“This facility will be a huge vector for our community at large. We are very excited,” board chair Chandu Kuntawala said.

4CA Principal Angie Gardner updated the board on student recruitment and staffing.

“We have 392 students registered now — 289 ninth-graders and 103 10th-graders,” Gardner said. “Acceptance letters will go out soon. We don’t think we’ll have a problem reaching our goal of 450 students by August.”

Gardner said the academy is also in the process of reviewing resumes for 29 faculty positions and expects to double that number once renovations to the entire building are completed.

Hatcher said the first partial cohort of students who will report for the 2017-18 school year in August will spend their first semester exploring the academy’s 17 different pathways before choosing one to pursue.