Tag: Elementary

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New elementary school to open Oct. 25 – School News Network

New elementary school to open Oct. 25 – School News Network

Photos by Dianne Carroll Burdick

It was all hands on deck at Kelloggsville’s new Central Elementary School this week as teachers, staff, contractors and sub-contractors made the final push to get the school ready before the doors open to 421 students on Oct. 25 and before a special Grand Opening event planned for Oct. 27.

The original plan was to have the school ready for the start of the 2021-22 school year. But some unforeseen delays meant students started the year in East Elementary, just across the parking lot from Central Elementary, where for the past nine weeks they have been able to watch their new school get closer and closer to the finish line.

When students finally get to step inside Central Elementary next week, teachers know the excitement level will be high.

Fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Wolters was getting her room ready when SNN got a sneak peek at the new school, and she smiled when asked what the student reaction was likely to be.

She’s been with the district for almost three decades and was still in awe of what the school and her classroom had to offer students as she unpacked box after box this week ahead of next week’s first day.

“The brand-newness of it is pretty amazing,” she said. “The technology in the rooms. The natural light and windows. I think the students will certainly appreciate all this building offers. I also think they will appreciate the faith their parents had to vote (for the bond) that made this building possible for them.”

It was all hands on deck at Kelloggsville’s new Central Elementary School during the final push to get the school ready for students on Oct. 25

Project Funded as Part of Bond Approved in 2018

The project is being funded as part of a 30-year, $19.2 million bond approved by voters in November 2018 with just over $18 million going toward the new school building. 

Inside the new Central Elementary are numerous features that combine both functionality and beauty to create educational spaces that are both practical and pleasing to the eye, said Eric Alcorn, director of human resources for the district.

Upon entering the building, a large lobby area and an eye-catching staircase that winds its way below a large skylight are immediately visible.  

The design team from TowerPinkster created a number of design elements based on Kelloggsville’s ‘Rocket Pride’ mantra

Alcorn said that the lobby space includes a faux-copper decorative railing, a metallic textured brick wall, polished concrete floors and bench and reclaimed wood: all low-maintenance and durable materials to welcome students and visitors to the building. 

He added that throughout the design process, the lobby was referred to as “the Rocket silo,” playing off Kelloggsville’s Rocket mascot and inspired by the district’s “Rocket Pride” mantra.

He said the design team from TowerPinkster wanted the building to inspire students to look upward, toward bright futures. Another motif for the new building was circles and curves to inspire unity, harmony, commitment, movement and evolution.

Fifth-grade students of veteran teacher Cynthia Wolters will know where to find her

‘The upward movement of a launch’

The new central office incorporates those in a number of ways, including a reception counter that gradually slopes from low to high to accommodate a variety of visitor heights. 

Shelbi Iseminger, an interior designer at TowerPinkster, said the lowest height is designed to meet ADA guidelines for accessibility by those who may use a wheelchair, while the tallest portion is a typical transaction height for a standing adult. 

The design also complements the curved stairwell in the lobby, she said, “reinforcing our Rocket-inspired playful skies design theme by simulating the upward movement of a launch.”

The first floor contains three wings of general education and special education third-, fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms; a media center; a large gymnasium with a special rubber flooring for physical education, intramural sports and assemblies; and a cafeteria with a large-format porcelain tile floor. 

“I think the students will certainly appreciate all this building offers. I also think they will appreciate the faith their parents had to vote (for the bond) that made this building possible for them.”

– Central Elementary fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Wolters

Natural light is central to the classrooms thanks to more than 20 feet of windows in every room as well as a window-seat bench. Each classroom also has built-in space for a Chromebook cart, its own restroom and sink and a system called Boxlight that is essentially an oversized tablet computer on the classroom wall that can be connected to teacher and student Chromebooks, the in-room document camera, a Blu-ray player and other tech.

Acoustic Panels, Staggered Brick & Reclaimed Wood

Upstairs are a trio of special classrooms for music, science and art. Each is designed for the subject that will take place. The music room features carpeted floors and an acoustical back wall made of sound-absorbing panels. In addition, the walls of the music room were filled with sand to further reduce noise transference. The science room has multiple sinks, a special venting system, an easy-to-clean floor and a separate storage area for supplies. The art room has copious storage for art projects, plenty of sinks in which to wash up and an easy-to-clean floor.

The upstairs walls around the stairwell include staggered brick that produces a 3D effect that Iseminger said was intended to create visual interest and reinforce the idea of upward movement. 

A large gymnasium was designed with special rubber flooring for physical education, intramural sports and assemblies

Both levels also include reclaimed wood on many of the walls, composed primarily of Douglas Fir. Unlike traditional reclaimed wood boards, Iseminger said, the product at Kelloggsville uses the layers of reclaimed wood horizontally which allows smaller segments of wood to be layered, laminated together and cut into new planks, salvaging up to 80 percent more material than traditional reclaimed wood boards.

Another architectural feature of note is two-inch round tile designs by the water fountains and trash and recycling bins. They complement round, overlapping ceiling clouds in the cafeteria, science, art and music rooms as well as the globe-shaped pendant lights in the media center, and Iseminger said they were chosen to reinforce a youthful and playful design aesthetic.

The 62,000-square-foot facility was designed by TowerPinkster with Owen-Ames-Kimball leading construction. The building also includes air conditioning throughout; a locker for every student; a new playground; and additional office space for counselors and student services.

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D.C. Parents Press for Traffic Safety Improvements Near Turner Elementary School

D.C. Parents Press for Traffic Safety Improvements Near Turner Elementary School

An incident that seriously wounded a father and his two daughters has intensified initiatives among some Ward 8 mom and dad to tackle targeted visitors basic safety fears and build a approach to control reckless driving alongside corridors and intersections within just going for walks distance of their children’s universities.

In the vicinity of Turner Elementary College, the focus has been on Stanton Terrace and Alabama Avenue exactly where pupils line up to enter the making each and every early morning.

Since the begin of in-individual discovering in August, mother and father have recounted occasions the place they and their youngsters had to bounce out of the way of speeding cars and trucks and vehicles that crossed onto the sidewalk and crashed into a college fence.

As Philana Corridor, a mother or father of two Turner learners also pointed out, crossing guards trying to have out their duties have similarly knowledgeable the wrath of antagonistic motorists in the course of early morning and afternoon rush hour.

“If there’s just one crossing guard in this article, the motorists give them hell. They really do not shell out any attention to this light-weight,” stated Hall on Monday early morning as she stood on the corner of Stanton Terrace and Alabama Avenue.

“Alabama Avenue is treacherous and it’s so frightening. I would like a greater police presence in the early morning to support our crossing guards,” she stated.

Family members in Ward 8 and in other areas of the District stated they have ample good reasons for similar requests.

Before this thirty day period, for the duration of Worldwide Wander-to-School Day, a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck Tyrone Belton and his daughters, Religion and Heavyn White, as they crossed the avenue at the intersection of Wheeler Highway and Mississippi Avenue in Southeast.

That incident took put weeks following a motor vehicle struck and killed 5-12 months-previous Allie Hart in Brookland and six months after four-calendar year-old Zy’aire Joshua misplaced his daily life underneath related situations on Georgia Avenue and Kennedy Road in Northwest.

The Wheeler Highway/Mississippi Avenue accident compelled D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) to contact D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) about site visitors protection issues his business has been given.

The D.C. Division of Transportation, in response to criticism about the Vision Zero software, announced initiatives to accelerate their processing of site visitors protection assessment requests and site visitors security enhancement initiatives.

Subsequent a D.C. Council listening to about Risk-free Passage laws, Ward 8 inhabitants geared up for an Oct 21 meeting with DDOT Interim Chair Everett Lott and Lott’s D.C. Council confirmation listening to that’s scheduled for October 26.

Turner Elementary moms and dads who’ve structured with ANC Commissioner Cheryl Moore (SMD 8E02) and Ward 8 Condition Board of Training Consultant Carlene Reid have demanded the existence of a targeted traffic basic safety officer together with totally performing stroll buttons where Alabama Avenue satisfies Stanton Terrace. They also want deterrents for moms and dads who double park along Stanton Terrace right before and after university.

A mother or father who asked to be referred to as Sam stated since of traffic safety concerns at Alabama Avenue and Stanton Highway she normally struggles choosing involving right walking throughout Alabama Avenue at 18th Road or taking a detour that would make her youngsters late for university.

“When you press this light-weight, the cars and trucks never quit,” Sam said.

“Some of them move you and hold heading. My oldest daughter can walk by herself in the morning, [so] I notify her to cross the road and glimpse both ways. She is familiar with she can Facetime me if something happens.”

Considering that the inception of the Eyesight Zero plan, the District has reduced the pace limit in some areas and reduced alternatives to change on red at specific intersections. Other variations contain the addition of speed bumps. This kind of efforts, even so, have not reduced traffic injuries and fatalities because of to what some residents explain as inequities in services.

That’s why Turner Elementary moms and dads, in collaboration with Moore and Reid, continue on to arrange for the fulfillment of their requests. At this juncture, objectives involve eliciting far more parental assist and presence in the streets just before and just after school hours.

When she supports calls for increased visitors security measures, Dryonna Minimal, a mom of two Turner Elementary students, explained the onus finally falls on dad and mom to be certain that their small children make it safely and securely across the road.

“I keep my child’s hand so if we get strike, we’re getting hit together,” Small said.

“You simply cannot control how persons generate so we require to make absolutely sure we chat to our children and make guaranteed they search each ways [if they’re not] traveling with an grownup.”

Photo of Sam P. K. Collins


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Elementary school in Port Alberni given Nuu-chah-nulth name – Port Alberni Valley News

Elementary school in Port Alberni given Nuu-chah-nulth name – Port Alberni Valley News

The rain poured down on Tsuma-as Elementary College in Port Alberni as the faculty officially been given its new identity.

Greg Smyth, the superintendent for College District 70 (Pacific Rim), mentioned it was “fitting” that the renaming ceremony took put throughout a rainstorm because the college was named just after a river.

“I’m sure appropriate now Tsuma-as the river is inflammation with pleasure,” he reported on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

The ceremony on Wednesday formally unveiled a new title for the school formerly recognized as “A.W. Neill.” The new identity, c’uuma? as for or Tsuma-as (pronounced SOO-mahs), is the Nuu-chah-nulth name for the Somass River.

Associates from Tseshaht 1st Nation, Hupacasath 1st Country and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council all gave their assist for the school’s new name. The unveiling ceremony ended with Tsuma-as students singing a Nuu-chah-nulth celebration song, with aid from Nuu-chah-nulth instruction employee Aaron Watts.

Tseshaht’s elected Chief Councillor Wahmeesh Ken Watts introduced various presents to faculty district reps.

“For some persons, it might just imply a identity of a faculty,” Watts stated. “But for me and for several many others, it’s a great deal additional than that. Nowadays is a day that exhibits that the entire world is altering. Today the school district has done additional than just an uncomplicated territorial acknowledgement at the beginning of a function.”

The identity of the college was officially adjusted back in June 2021, soon after a long time of dialogue, community engagement—including a session with local Initial Nations—and the adoption of a title-modifying coverage. The college was earlier named following Alan Webster Neill, who was an Alberni mayor, a member of the B.C. The legislature and an MP for Comox-Alberni.

But Neill was also a federal Indian Agent for the west Coastline of Vancouver Island and was included in the procedure of the Alberni Indian Residential School. He was also vocally racist towards those people of Asian heritage, earning several endeavours in the Home of Commons to deny voting legal rights to Asian immigrants.

Tseshaht 1st Nation elected councillor Nasimius Ed Ross defined on Wednesday that the new identify, Tsuma-as, usually means “little creek working all about the ground.” The identity was associated with “cleansing” as the autumn rains swelled the river and washed away the remains of fish on the shore during salmon spawning years.

Smyth acknowledged the investigation of Prof. Ian Baird, whose account of A.W. Neill’s historical past started off the faculty board’s renaming method six many years back. For the past six years, he stated, the university district has been wanting backwards at a troubled past—and looking ahead to a far more promising upcoming.

“[A.W. Neill’s] procedure of Asian-Canadians and his help for Indian household colleges did not suit with the [school] district’s values and were not worthy of a college identity,” Smyth mentioned. “Tsuma-as the river has been a social, cultural and financial life supply for all those who have lived on its banking companies for years. Tsuma-as the school is an identical area of shared group and shared learning Future Technology.”

Quite a few speakers all through Wednesday’s ceremony were former pupils at Tsuma-as and shared their memories of the university and its instructors.

Wally Samuel, a household school survivor and a former college student at A.W. Neill when it was a junior high, mentioned that Neill Faculty was a “good place” for him as a child mainly because it bought him out of the household university.

“We did not know what the title intended,” he mentioned. “It did not issue to us back then. But now it issues. Numerous of us did not have an understanding of the names that we grew up with.”

The ceremony took to put the working day right before the Nationwide Day for Truth of the matter and Reconciliation so that faculty college students would be capable to consider sections in it.

 

Visit : https://www.aheadegg.com/

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Large crowd turns out to support keeping Clays Mill Elementary School open | Education

Large crowd turns out to support keeping Clays Mill Elementary School open | Education






Clays Mill

Halifax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Lineburg addresses the public at Clays Mill Elementary School on Tuesday on the possible consolidation of schools.




Close to 100 individuals including Clays Mill Elementary school staff, students, parents and community members filled the gymnasium of the Clays Mill Elementary School Tuesday evening to show their support in keeping the school open at a public hearing on the possible consolidation of elementary schools.

This was the third public hearing in a series of five where school board members and Halifax County Public School Superintendent Dr. Mark Lineburg are given a chance to hear the public’s concerns and questions on the possible consolidation of schools.

The school system plans to answer questions via email following the end of the public hearings.

“We make great things happen at Clays Mill,” said Clays Mill principal David Duffer as he opened the floor for the superintendent to speak to the audience.

Lineburg began his remarks saying, “I love Clays Mill Elementary School.”

He went on to state the challenges that HCPS face in its elementary schools is that 51{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of the elementary schools’ 4,259 seats are empty, and enrollment is on a steady decline.

At Clays Mill alone 69{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of the 508 available seats are empty.

“We have lost 500 kids in the last seven years, which is equivalent to losing two schools. Enrollment is declining because of the declining population in Halifax County,” said Lineburg.

He added, “It’s visible you have space in all of our smaller schools, but I want to remind you we don’t have all the answers.”

According to Lineburg, Clays Mill Elementary School needs “significant future facility needs” such as an updated parking lot, an HVAC system, window replacement and an electrical and plumbing upgrade.

Following Lineburg’s presentation, 16 Clays Mill students took the podium to fight for their school telling the school board, “We love Clays Mill,” “Don’t close Clays Mill,” and “We love the teachers and Mr. Duffer.”






Clays Mill

Matt Gunn speaks in support of keeping Clays Mill Elementary open during a public hearing on Tuesday on the possible consolidation of schools.




One of the first adults to take the stand was Matt Gunn, who said he has had a child at Clays Mill since 2001 and has been on so many field trips he has begun guiding tours.

“This school has teachers from all over, one who travels from the east side of Clarksville every day and it is certainly not for the paycheck, it is the atmosphere here, the passion they have for the student’s education,” said Gunn.

He added, “The faculty and staff here are nothing short of excellent, they’re the best. We have a phenomenal principal in Mr. Duffer who cares just deeply about the students. This is the cleanest school in the entire school system, and it wasn’t cleaned today because you were coming, it is like this every day.”

Gunn said community schools were the way “we were brought up and it’s the way of life around here.”

Many of the students named all of their teachers, name by name and expressed how great of a job they do in the classroom.

Clays Mill is one of three schools the school board has been considering closing. Also up for consideration for closure are Meadville Elementary and Sinai Elementary. The school system currently has seven.

In proposals to the school board, a seven elementary school model would cost $45,773,534 for future facility costs, a six-school model would cost $44,066,508 in future facilities costs but would save $19,596,000 over 30 years and a five-school model would cost $43,727,436 and would save $44,610,000 over 30 years.






Clays Mill

Nakelia Ross challenges the Halifax County School Board and Halifax County Board of Supervisors to think of the students during a Tuesday public hearing on the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary.




“Who’s thinking about today rather than 30 years from now, at what point, and time will we focus on now instead of 30 years from now,” said Nakelia Ross, another speaker of the public hearing.

“I challenge the school board to challenge the board of supervisors and say our kids matter,” she added.

After she spoke, audience members and chairwoman Kathy Fraley and ED-7 school board member Keith McDowell even rose to their feet to applaud her.






Clays Mill

Jessica Trent, a mother of a student at Clays Mill Elementary, takes the podium during a public hearing of the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary on Tuesday.




Jessica Trent, a mother of a student who attends Clays Mill, also said, “I keep seeing numbers and numbers, but our children aren’t numbers, stop worrying about money and worry about our children.”

Many of the teachers at Clays Mill Elementary spoke out as well.






Clays Mill

Natalie Long, a third-grade teacher at Clays Mill Elementary, addresses the school board in a public hearing at Clays Mill Elementary on Tuesday.




“I truly love this position and my students. Elementary schools build our counties academic foundation, and 20 to 25 students in a classroom is frankly too much,” said Natalie Long, a third-grade teacher at Clays Mill.

She added, “My son and I feel like we have found our forever home. The faculty and staff feel like a second family here.”

Long said research says small group instruction drives academic success.






Clays Mill

Vickie Powell, a longtime teacher at Clays Mill Elementary who travels to work from Clarksville addresses Halifax County School Board on Tuesday at the public hearing on the possible consolidation of elementary schools.




“This is my 29th year in Halifax. I live in Clarksville and drive 80 miles a day because I want to be here. I just employ you to see the children not dollar signs. If y’all close this school you’re not only hurting us you’re hurting this county,” said Vickie Powell, a longtime teacher at Clays Mill.






Clays Mill

ED-2 supervisor Jeff Francisco speaks during Tuesday’s public hearing of the possible consolidation of schools at Clays Mill Elementary School.




As the public hearing began to wrap up and many members of the crowd began to disburse because of the length of the meeting, ED-2 county supervisor Jeff Francisco took the podium.

“To say that the board of supervisors doesn’t believe in our schools is incorrect. Since I’ve been on it, it’s been number one,” said Francisco.

He added, “Do we want to close any schools? No. We do not want to close any schools, but another option is raising taxes. What I am hearing tonight is that people want to keep Clays Mill open. In order to equal the $2.3 million (in savings) it means a real estate tax increase of seven to eight cents.”

Francisco also made sure to praise smaller schools such as Clays Mill.

“A lot of kids out of district are coming here because this is a great school. They have a great principal, have great teachers and have great instruction. I truly believe that small schools like Clays Mill don’t only teach kids well, it helps in discipline, and it changes the kids’ lives because they have the personal attention here,” Francisco concluded.

Clays Mill Elementary School is ranked 126 out of more than 1,100 schools in the state and is in the top 30{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}, according to US News and World reports.

Another public hearing on the possible consolidation of local elementary schools was held Thursday at Scottsburg Elementary School.

The final hearing will be held the following Thursday, on Oct. 28, at Meadville Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.

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A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School principal resigns due to tweets

A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School principal resigns due to tweets
A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School principal resigns due to tweets

Greenville County Educational institutions declared Tuesday early morning the principal of A.J. Whittenberg Elementary University of Engineering has resigned.

Preston Spratt was put on administrative go away pending the end result of an inner investigation on Sept. 23 owing to issues similar to a sequence of tweets composed in 2012 and 2013, in accordance to the Greenville County Educational institutions information release.

“My perform in education and learning is centered on improving upon pupil results, producing neighborhood partnerships and my never-ending perception that all pupils will realize success when we supply them with excellent academics,” claimed Spratt in the information launch. “I deeply regret authoring the tweets and enjoy the chances I have experienced at A.J. Whittenberg. I seem forward to continuing my mission in a new environment.”

Greenville County Colleges:A.J. Whittenberg principal placed on administrative depart

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Boundary changes recommended for Bethesda-area elementary schools

Boundary changes recommended for Bethesda-area elementary schools

A map of proposed boundary alterations for Bethesda-space elementary educational facilities.

As the university district prepares for an addition project at Westbrook Elementary, Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight this week launched advised boundary variations to move college students from nearby Bethesda and Somerset elementary universities.

In whole, about 225 college students would be reassigned in the analyze.

About 125 college students would transfer from Bethesda Elementary to Somerset Elementary, and about 100 learners from Somerset Elementary to Westbrook, according to district officers.

Only pre-kindergarten via fourth-grade students would be reassigned in the subsequent college yr. Fifth-grade pupils would be additional in the 2023-24 university calendar year, in accordance to the recommendation. This is to avoid going fifth-quality students in their past calendar year of elementary university.

The boundary research approach commenced in 2019, when MCPS began exploring approaches to relieve crowding at Somerset.

MCPS planned to build a classroom addition at nearby Westbrook Elementary Faculty in Bethesda and carry out a boundary review to transfer some college students from Somerset to Westbrook.

Individually, the district also planned a $16.7 million addition at Bethesda Elementary in 2025 to offset crowding there.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, straining local and point out budgets, then-Superintendent Jack Smith directed MCPS to forgo the Bethesda Elementary undertaking, but retain the $4.4 million addition at Westbrook. Smith also advisable restarting the boundary examine to figure out how to reassign learners from Bethesda and Somerset to Westbrook.

Westbrook has house for about 222 college students. The addition will make room for about 70 additional students.

The addition at Westbrook is predicted to be completed by September 2023.

Somerset, on Warwick Place, is projected to have about 80 additional students than its optimum ability by 2026. Because it is on a 3.7-acre web-site, which is regarded tiny, there is little area for the school district to location non permanent lecture rooms to accommodate the crowding.

According to MCPS information, Bethesda Elementary has an enrollment of about 670 students and is designed to keep 560.

McKnight wrote that her proposed changes would decrease the disparity between bundled universities in the percentage of pupils eligible for cost-free and lessened-price tag meals, which MCPS uses as an indicator of poverty. It also minimizes the disparity in the range of college students in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

At Westbrook, for case in point, the proportion of students in ESOL systems would improve from 3.6{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} to 19.5{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}, and lessen at Somerset from 28.2{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} to 18.6{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}.

The suggested alterations would shift Somerset and Westbrook enrollment into the “desired range of 80-100{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}” of their capacity.

Bethesda Elementary will not be within just the wanted enrollment assortment, McKnight wrote, but the crowding will be minimized “significantly” and there are options for a creating venture in the future.

Bethesda Elementary’s enrollment is envisioned to be 603 college students (108{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} utilization) in the 2027-28 faculty calendar year, if the modifications are carried out. It would be 743 students (144{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}) with out the alterations, in accordance to McKnight’s advice.

No middle or substantial faculties have been bundled in the boundary analyze.

A map of the advised boundary alterations can be identified in this article.

Caitlynn Peetz can be arrived at at [email protected]