LAKEWOOD – A year from now, students will be moving into the new Lakewood High School.

But that doesn’t mean students this year won’t get to enjoy anything new.

The football and soccer teams will get to play on the new turf field. The track team will get to run on a new surface, and discus athletes will be throwing out of new college-level cage.

The track surface was put in this week, and cross country coach Jeff Sowards said it will be used in the big annual Hole in the Wall meet Oct. 8.

Stephen Black, the project manager, talked about the progress of the new school at a recent school board meeting.

He said a lot of progress has been made.

“It’s starting to look a lot like the drawing,” Black said. “There’s usually not this much steel after five months.”

He said the shells are up for areas such as the commons, library and a classroom wing. Sprinklers for fire protection are in the ceilings and progress has been made with the facilities for administration, student services and athletics.

“Students should be excited when they get back” Sept. 7, he said. “This time next year they will move in to start school.”

Meanwhile, Dale Leach, director of learning support, talked to the board about a check of the sinks and water fountains at the schools, in response to problems in other districts.

Of 76 stations checked, only two had lead or copper numbers higher than allowed at .015. Forty-nine had none at all.

Faucets were replaced in the library, .019, and Room 23, .023. If that doesn’t solve the problem, lead filters will be installed. Other faucets were replaced as a safety precaution due to high use, rather than high readings.

Superintendent Michael Mack said the district will “continue to upgrade drinking fountains” and that if problems are not ready by the time kids are back in school the faucets or fountains would be condemned and placed out of commission until fixed.

Also at the meeting:

•The board approved that the District Resource Officer also be able to spend time at the middle and elementary schools. Mack said it would help later on if the officer built relationships in a supporting role with young kids to preempt problems later on. Mack said the sheriff’s officer works marine patrol in the summers so the district pays 75 percent of the salary.

•Mack’s contact was extended, with a 4.5 percent raise and increased stipend for cell phone and technology.

•Certified staff received more funds for professional growth, along with step increases and the technology/cell phone stipend.

•For non-represented staff, the salary schedule was simplified to four steps, some titles were changed, and the salaries were adjusted to be more in tune with neighboring districts.

•The district plans to get two new buses.

•New fencing was approved for the tennis courts.