Please excuse our mess!
As parents fill our school this week attending parent/teacher conferences, there will be some obstacles. Most noticeably, in the elementary hallways. The final update slated for the summer of 2023 has finally arrived, lockers.
The lockers follow several other remodeling upgrades that were completed during the summer. When school dismissed in May of 2023, the painting crew began working. The hallways and trim have been completely painted to a new modern shade of greige. Once all the painting wrapped up, the carpeting crew arrived. The scheduled three classroom’s carpet was replaced along with the most noticeable change, the entire hallway of the 1969 building.
The elementary restrooms also received a new look. The floors and trim were replaced with a new epoxy finish that improved the appearance immediately. The tile floors were waxed and shined just in time for school to begin.
On the technology side of things, all elementary classrooms received SMART Boards. SMART Board technology is an interactive way to educate using a touch-screen TV. Twenty classrooms and the school’s Library each received a 75” SMART TV.
The District ordered the elementary lockers from the same vendor, Storage and Design Group out of Des Moines, that supplied the replacement of the Jr/Sr High school lockers in 2019. The lockers are single tiered and measure 12”x12”x60”. They are purple in color with the classic tan on the inside. Utilizing every inch of wall space, there will be 23 lockers per grade level.
Both the lockers and the SMART technology were funded by the school’s ability to capture ESSERS Funds. ESSERS funds are federal funds that were outlined during the COVID pandemic. The Board decided the investment of lockers is a smart move for our District. The lockers will contribute to a neat and clean school environment. Introducing students to having their own compartment to keep their belongings in, will promote organization and reduce stress. There are many health benefits of lockers as well. School Nurse Jamie Brummond says, “Lockers contribute positively to the students’ health and well-being. A school is a place where the chance of germs spreading are considerably higher. The lockers contain a germ resistant coating that will help prevent the spread of disease, as well as keeps bugs and critters contained.”
Installers are expected to complete the installation of the lockers by Friday, October 20th.
Paint and carpet finished before everyone headed back to school after the summer away. Stay tuned for a little pop of purple!