The Ad Hoc committee has chosen an architectural firm, Peter Gisolfi Associates, according to chairman John P. Sullivan at last Monday's Board of Education meeting.

This company, Sullivan said, is a nationally recognized architectural and engineering firm with a focus on education.

"[This architect] has expertise in the rehabilitation of older schools," Sullivan said. "And he has finished major bond construction under budget [before]."

"The firm has previously worked on premiere schools in Westchester and other independent colleges and schools", Sullivan said.

"We believe we have a very reasonable price for a very high quality firm," he said.

An estimated 60 percent of the bond is for construction costs, and the architect is to be paid 7 percent of that amount, Sullivan said.

In other bond related news, Sullivan reported on the committee's progress.

"We are pushing forward to have a referendum before the voters by Sept. 1," he said. "We are spending a lot of time to bring forth a more efficient bond with lots of professional eyes looking at it."

To that end focus groups that include the views of parents, teachers and the administration are being formed at each school building.

The focus groups, according to Sullivan, will include four to seven people to be chosen by the individual school principals, and will meet with the architect on a monthly basis.

Focus groups will work to define five main objectives for their school, Sullivan said.