The projected completion date of Fannie C. Williams’ new school is September 2012, a month later than originally scheduled, the school’s board of directors learned at their meeting, Jan. 19.

Principal Kelly Batiste said Recovery School District officials informed her that construction delays were to blame for the setback.

It means the move will happen during the fall semester, rather than ahead of the elementary school’s August return, making for greater disruption, she said.

Batiste and several board members will meet with the RSD on Feb. 9. She said they will urge RSD officials to turn over the school sooner than September if the remaining work is landscaping, exterior painting or other tasks that don’t preclude moving in.

The hour-long meeting, dominated by the facilities update, included a report by chief administrative officer Terri Williams on how to prepare students for the Common Core State Standards tests to be adopted in the next two years by 44 states, including Louisiana.

Williams said Fannie C. Williams will implement a transitional program to get students acclimated to the higher testing standards. Teachers will attend training programs to help them prepare, she said.

The meeting ended with a vote to move the next board meeting from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23.