Laurel school upgrades ongoing

May 08, 2008 10:50 am

— With many eyes awaiting the construction of the city’s new middle school, school officials said all of the Laurel School District school buildings are being improved.
The improvements are a part of the School District’s Strategic Facilities Plan that is being conducted in three main phases.
The school district is fastly completing Phase 1 of the Strategic Facilities Plan and looking forward to Phase 2 of the plan.
While Phase 1 involved various improvements at the existing schools in the district, Phase 2 will include the construction of a new middle school.
Laurel School District Superintendent Dr. Glenn McGee said water conservation work, energy conservation work and facility upgrades have been completed at all the district’s schools.
Projects in the process include the installation of drop ceilings at Oak Park Elementary, Nora Davis Magnet, Jones Middle School, Maddox and Laurel High School.
Water wells for irrigation have been complete at Laurel High School’s stadium and practice field while work is being done for a water well for irrigation at the new middle school soccer/football practice field.
“All of the schools will be getting upgrades,” Magee said. “Over the course of the next few months, there will be a lot of work going on around our schools.”
Magee said all the schools are receiving central air and heat. Also schools with window units will be saying good-bye to them and receiving new windows as a part of the bond issue.
“Most of our buildings are older buildings, so they require some work to be done to them,” Magee said. “The aesthetics of Oak Park will totally change.”
At Oak Park Elementary, the Laurel School District has already completed a great deal of improvements. Included in the bond issue there are improvements to the lighting, electrical, and HVAC systems.
“We are just excited about the renovations,” said the Rev. Jaymar Jackson, principal of Oak Park Elementary School. “It’s really making a difference. The children are so excited. ... The new doors are great and we are looking forward to the new windows.”
Ialiyah Fenderson, 6, a kindergarten student at Oak Park Elementary School, agreed.
“I like the colors on the air conditioners,” the kindergarten said emphasizing the Laurel School District’s decision to provide colored air condition ducts throughout the schools.
Mason Elementary has also recently received much work, but there are still some big plans to develop in the coming months. Besides the same electrical, lighting and HVAC improvements being made district wide, there will also be a new multi-purpose building at Mason that will help rid the need for portable buildings. The new building will include a stage and space for physical education and school activities.
“Mason and Stainton were both built for 300 students,” Magee explained. “Currently, Mason has over 500 students and Stainton has over 400. So, the improvements being made will relieve overcrowded classrooms at these schools.”
The improvement project includes electrical, lighting, and HVAC work at Stainton Elementary and Laurel High School. Stainton also gets new exterior doors and hardware, while ADA improvements are planned for Maddox Elementary.
Stewart M. Jones Middle School will become Jones Upper Elementary, which houses fourth and fifth grades. At this site, school officials plan to construct a new physical education facility; make HVAC, ADA, electrical and lighting improvements; renovate the cafeteria; build new gifted and general classrooms; and construct new restrooms and a commons areas. There will also be site improvements, including faculty parking, and the removal of portable buildings.
Nora Davis Elementary will receive electrical, lighting, and HVAC improvements and the replacement of exterior doors and windows.
“You will see work going on at every school,” Magee added. “We will make the schools safer with the upgrades of the electrical work and the fire alarms.”
Plans also call for Maddox Elementary to get the same electrical, lighting, and HVAC improvements, but also floor repair, gym floor replacement, new exterior doors and hardware, and a new kitchen with equipment. Officials said plans call for the conversion of the multipurpose space to a media center and general renovation on the administrative area. There will also be the relocation of the district’s maintenance department, and site improvements for bus and parent drop offs.
Magee said efforts to locate a building to house maintenance is continuing.
The city’s new middle school — which will house sixth, seventh and eighth graders — will be located between Maddox and Stainton Elementary School on the site of the current baseball field.
With current estimates, and based on what school officials told voters, all of these projects can be completed for $44,700,000, with the bulk of that money, $15,400,000, going to the new middle school. The bond issue will pay for $26.5 million of that work while other funding is planned from district and state funds.
Magee said all the schools in the district will receive a minimum of $3 million worth of work each. “The residents of Laurel made a good choice by approving the school bond issue,” Jackson said. “It’s going to make a difference in the education of the students.”

Photos

Ialiyah Fenderson, 6, a kindergarten student at Oak Park Elementary School, enjoys the use of the computers with the upgrades to the school’s electrical system. Oak Park is just one of several schools in the Laurel School District that are receiving electrical upgrades.