As the Byron-Bergen Central School year began, students returned to see several major renovations to the buildings and grounds. The upgrades were highlighted in a web video presentation from Superintendent Pat McGee at the end of August (https://tinyurl.com/yujxa84n). What was not highlighted were the familiar faces behind the renovations and their continuing legacy for the Byron-Bergen Bees.
Several of the Capital Improvement Projects were carried out by Kircher Construction, owned and operated by Byron-Bergen Class of 2006 alum Jon Flannery. Along with his foreman, Class of 2020’s Alex Brumsted, Flannery’s team transformed the Sr. High School gymnasium into a state-of-the-art athletic facility. Very little of the previous gymnasium remains except for the center court floorboards, which were preserved and mounted proudly on the wall.
“This project was very important to us, so we spent a lot of time and attention on it,” said Flannery. The preexisting center court is meaningful to both Flannery and Brumsted who were varsity basketball players in high school.
“I have been volunteering with the program since I graduated, so to be able to save that piece of history for Coach Rox (Noeth) and everyone in the basketball community is pretty cool,” said Brumsted.
Flannery and his wife are elementary basketball coaches for third through fifth-grade students. They hope that their own children will someday play in the renovated gym and see the center court their dad played on almost two decades ago.
“Our project manager Chris Haywood is also an alum, class of 2005, and his kids will get to use this gym,” said Flannery. “Throughout the course of construction, we had a dozen Byron-Bergen graduates working on site. It’s cool to have this crew at their alma mater. They really care about it.”
While the Capital Project provided major upgrades to both schools, the bus garage, and the athletic fields, Byron-Bergen alumni were also taking part in routine maintenance projects throughout the district. In August, four recent alumni helped reseal and repaint the Elementary School staff parking lot and bus loop. Class of 2022 alumni Chiara Grippo and Lexi Vurraro, Class of 2023 alum Grayson Erion, and Class of 2024 graduate Travis Shallenberger took on summer jobs or internships with Grippo Asphalt Maintenance.
“We do this work at a bunch of schools, so it’s a little weird but special to work on the school that I used to attend,” said Shallenberger. “Whatever we do here is a benefit to the community because we’re maintaining the facilities for the younger generation. It’s like giving back to the community.”
In August, the Elementary School also received fresh concrete walkways to the main entrance poured by Pro Construction, family-owned and operated by Byron-Bergen alumni Curtis, Travis, and Hunter Taylor.
“We take pride in hiring local contractors when we can,” said Director of Facilities Roger Caldwell. “We see a lot of B-B alum come through and it’s great. They have a vested interest in the District and their dedication shows.”
“I think it gives people in the community peace of mind knowing that Byron-Bergen graduates are working on these projects,” said Brumsted. “They know us. They trust us with the school’s legacy.”
Outside of the gymnasium, the walls of the Jr./Sr. High School gleam with new subway tile. After a heroic summer push, the construction crew is bringing projects to completion.
“This community really is unique in a lot of ways,” said McGee. “It’s great to see the capital improvements go from plans to reality, but it really is amazing to see the folks who have walked these halls as students return to preserve it and improve it for the next generation.”
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Photos by Gretchen Spitter
