GREENE – In just two short weeks, the 2009-10 school year will be in full swing. For the time being, however, it is still hard-hat wearing, tool-toting construction workers, not students, who are the most common sight in the hallways of the Greene Central School District.

“We will be ready to open school on time,” assured Superintendent Gary Smith.

Despite the exposed ceilings, stacks of construction materials and the constant drone of heavy equipment, the district administrator is confident that things will be cleaned up, if not entirely competed by Sept. 9, when students are slated to return.

Contractors broke ground in June on the two-year, $36.1 million dollar capital improvement project, which will overhaul each building in the district as well as add new classroom space at the Intermediate School and an artificial turf field at the Middle School/High School campus.

While the district had hoped to have the field in use for the fall sports season, crews encountered what Smith called “unsuitable soils” and drainage issues shortly after the ground breaking which set the project timeline back. Now, it appears that the field won’t be ready for use until Oct. 1.

“Obviously, we had hoped to have that open by the first games,” Smith said. “But that was a very aggressive schedule that we set for ourselves.”