Even earlier than the adjustments are executed, the enhancements are serving to academics really feel extra secure.
MUNCIE, Ind. — One Muncie college is present process an $8 million renovation, pivoting away from an open-concept college plan towards a extra conventional classroom design.
Even earlier than the adjustments are executed, the enhancements are serving to academics really feel extra secure.
With college students house for summer season, building employees fill East Washington Academy. The varsity’s inside is getting a whole makeover.
Friday morning, academics Courtney Williams and Angela Butler walked by means of the brand new school rooms to examine on building with Principal Sarah Anglin at their facet. The academics stated they’re already in awe of the adjustments.
“It’s so bizarre to stroll by means of it now, since you’ve seen it within the previous approach and now you are seeing the renovations and it is simply unbelievable,” stated Williams, a 3rd grade excessive potential trainer at East Washington Academy.
The varsity’s earlier open-concept plan was standard within the ’80s however ended up being problematic for a lot of colleges. The dearth of partitions and doorways make for a loud setting, onerous for college kids to pay attention. However security can also be on the prime of everybody’s minds.
“Our partitions have been partial partitions across the constructing after which our facet wall that went out to the hallway was simply merely cupboards that weren’t as much as the ceiling and you possibly can hear every little thing occurring within the hallways if somebody was passing by,” stated Angela Butler, a grasp trainer at East Washington Academy.
“That was undoubtedly a priority, security, but in addition simply the noise stage and the distractions that you just’re continuously listening to all through the constructing. So the renovation that we’re going by means of is unquestionably going to assist with a lot of that,” Williams stated.
That setting was regarding if an intruder have been to get in.
“All I might do was roll an additional cart to form of make it appear like it wasn’t a gap,” Butler stated. “However anybody would simply have to easily push with their shoulders and are available proper into our rooms.”
When college students and employees come again to class for the beginning of the brand new college yr at East Washington Academy, the entire school rooms could have doorways and partitions for the primary time within the college’s historical past. It is a massive enchancment for security and lecturers.
“Within the occasion of an intruder, which we have now not had right here, however I feel actually in any kind of challenge…we’re simply being very proactive in ensuring we will preserve our college students and employees secure,” stated Anglin.
Seeing these enhancements is already making Williams and Butler really feel extra comfy in classroom.
“I imply, that is the primary concern of academics, is security. And we have been secure, however it’ll be an entire new stage of security the place we will truly shut the doorways and lock the doorways and actually shield the scholars. That is our primary aim,” Williams stated.
“I do know that if one thing would occur, we might have the ability to have our kids secure, we might have the ability to get them right into a secure location and shut and lock these doorways,” Butler stated.
As soon as East Washington Academy’s renovations are accomplished, Muncie Group Colleges is anticipated to start comparable renovations at South View Elementary College.
