Insufficient time for construction, setting up computer systems, and receiving school supplies has forced Government to delay the opening of its newest school.

Premier Pamela Gordon, after visiting the school at Prospect on Saturday and holding an emergency meeting with school officials, decided that conditions were not suitable for students to begin classes at CedarBridge Academy today.

The "state-of-the-art'' facility is expected to open with more than 1,150 students next Monday.

And all concerned told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the decision to postpone the opening was a wise one.

"I'd rather them get it right, then to open up and do a disservice to our children,'' National PTA president Anthony Steede said.

CedarBridge principal Ernest Payette admitted that he may have been "too optimistic'' and "ambitious'' in believing that the school would be ready today.

In addition to the minor glitches that moving into a new facility bring, Mr.

Payette said CedarBridge's oversubscribed design and technology area was not completed, computer systems were not all on-line which among other things prevented students from receiving their schedules; and supplies, including textbooks, science and physical education materials, had not yet arrived from overseas. Mr. Payette explained that the design and technology facilities were not ready because work was done on the school from north to south. The design and technology area is located on the south side of the property.

"So they left it to the end to do,'' he said, admitting that he was not happy with the situation.

But he added: "We can't complain. When you consider the size of the plant and the work that was required.'' Supplies were deliberately ordered in late August because there was not sufficient storage space, he added.

The school is also without an auditorium, a playing field, and tennis courts.

Mr. Payette noted that the auditorium delay was expected. But he said the others did not help.

However, he stressed that staff were prepared to do whatever it took to have the school ready and no one was at fault for the problems encountered along the way.

"In the original restructuring document, they had the school completion date as June 30, 1997 and school opening in September,'' Mr. Payette noted. "That gave us that ten-week period to do all of these things.

"But they had construction delays, problems with materials and ordering, and the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium situation threw their time lines off a bit.

"So we had to revise the construction time lines into the end of August. And of course no one changed the school opening date. So those ten weeks which were originally built into the plan to allow us to do the preparation became two weeks. There just wasn't enough time.'' Pointing out that CedarBridge staff were working at the school while construction was going on, Mr. Payette added: "People gave it their best shot. But it just wasn't possible.

"We had a contingency plan that we were trying to make work. And it depended on a lot of things happening this past Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

And they just did not happen.'' Mr. Payette praised teachers for their efforts.

"The teachers were wonderful,'' he said. "The majority were working on Saturday. But they ran out of stuff that they could do.'' He noted that as they were unloading boxes on Saturday, Ms Gordon arrived in working clothes and ready to help.

"She actually came up to see what she could do which actually blew me away,'' Mr. Payette said.

"In the process she was looking at the difficulties we were facing.'' An emergency meeting was held involving the Premier, chairman of CedarBridge's board of governors Garry Madeiros, Education Minister Jerome Dill, Education Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson, Bermuda Union of Teachers president Michael Charles, and Mr. Payette.

Looking at the situation "through the eyes of a parent'', Ms Gordon said: "I saw a place that had a lot of money spent to make it happen, but wasn't quite finished.

"If we're going to spend $70 million on reforming education in this community so that our children understand that we believe in them and their capabilities, can we not at least give them a good first impression?'' She stressed that she was prepared for criticism.

But she added: "Once those children enter the school I want them to know how much work and effort has gone in to making this reality for them. We could not do it half-heartedly by having boxes, and crates, and equipment still there.

"I wanted them to go into a pristine facility that let them know how much this community cares about them. Our young people need to know this is how they found the school, and this is how we want them to keep it and leave it.

CedarBridge opening postponed "I believe our children must understand that this is for them and we've got to give it to them in a way that they understand that we are serious and we mean business for them.'' Students will receive their lockers, timetables, and other introductory information during orientation on Thursday and Friday.

Those in Senior Years three, four, five and six will have to report to the school on Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, Friday morning, and Friday afternoon, respectively.

Despite the one-week delay, Mr. Payette said CedarBridge students will have more instruction time than students have had in the past.

"Because we have moved to the block scheduling we've increased the amount of instructional time they have,'' he said, explaining that students will have double periods on alternate days which will allow them to receive about 120 hours of instruction a year in the main subjects.

But he said some of the enrichment programmes, such as field trips or special days, may have to be reduced or cancelled.

The school year may also be extended by a day or two, he added.

Teachers -- who needed to train on the computer systems -- also can receive more preparation time, Mr. Payette said.

And Mr. Charles yesterday agreed.

"We had a meeting with the teachers up there on Thursday,'' he said. "They felt that they could have done with some more time. But they pledged their support for the administration because they have a good working relationship with Mr. Payette. They felt he was under pressure to open. And as such they felt they would do their best to make a go at things.

"But really in their professional opinion they did not think it was in the best interest to open.'' Mr. Charles said teachers fully supported Ms Gordon's decision.

"We appreciate her candidness and her feel for the situation, and really applaud her decision,'' he added.

"The Premier, acting on her own accord, did the best thing for the students, the teachers, and maybe for CedarBridge on the whole.'' Ernest Payette