Recently, Fluvanna Students have been asking themselves “what is that new building behind the school”? Looking through a window will reveal the foundations of a new building beside the greenhouse, and no one seems to know what it is. Well, Paul Chirico and his Carpentry 2 class know exactly what it is… and it’s pretty surprising.

“The building is to house our new portable saw mill,” Chirico said in a recent interview. Now, that may seem a bit anti-climactic to some, but anyone who knows what a portable saw mill can do certainly knows how complex and important it is to any wood enthusiast.

As for the building itself, Chirico clarified. “We started [the building] the first week of school, and we expect it to be done before the holiday break.” The building will have a metal roof and a white oak floor, and will be large enough to both contain the saw mill and offer extra storage for Russell Jennings’ Agriculture class. Most of the materials being used to build the building have been donated by Amelia Lumber, a large lumber corporation located in Amelia County.

“I’m not building it,” Chirico said, “my Carpentry II class is building it.” Indeed, the building of the saw mill’s shed is a major project for Chirico’s Carpentry II class, with each student being graded individually on their contribution to the project. Neither Jennings nor any of the other Carpentry classes will be helping — it is a project reserved only for Carpentry II students.

Chirico doesn’t think that the project is beyond his students’ capabilities. “I’m confident that they’ll make [the building] well,” he said. Over the course of the year, the building will grow and grow, and eventually there will be a new addition to Fluvanna County High School right in the backyard.