Procurement News Notice |
|
| PNN | 10883 |
| Work Detail | They came from all directions. Whether their mode of transportation was a bicycle, a skateboard, a car, a bus or their own two feet, more than 600 students flocked to the brand-new Roosevelt Middle School on Thursday morning to start the 2016-17 school year. Construction began in the spring of 2015 on the 97,000-square-foot, 28-classroom building on East 24th Avenue near Patterson Street, and it was completed during the summer, just in time for the first day of school. Outside the school Thursday, the atmosphere seemingly was calm, with parents offering brief hugs and words of advice for the young students before letting them through the automatic sliding doors. However, visitors entering the middle school’s front forum were greeted by a wall of noise, full of excited chatter, laughter and some yelling. Students’ faces reflected emotions that ranged from overwhelmed to thrilled. Lori Bell, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Roosevelt, was among several school ambassadors who were tasked with helping students find their way through the building, which now is two stories tall. “I’m really excited to get to know all of the new students and the new teachers,” Bell said. “I’m a people person, so I’m happy that I get to show the younger students what our school is all about.” Bell was one of about 620 students who attended school Thursday morning. Roosevelt was built to accommodate about 650 students, Principal Chris Mitchell said. “We have about 20 more students than we initially anticipated,” Mitchell said. Although the school is near its capacity, the students moved easily through the school, stopping to gather in small groups in an outdoor courtyard and meandering to find their new lockers. Although most students seemed to be excited about their new school, some had mixed feelings. “It’s definitely nicer (at the new school), but it’s also kind of sad to drive here and just see flat land where our school used to be,” 13-year-old Jolie Croissant said. “That was our school for years, and it’s just gone now.” But Croissant said that, overall, she felt happy in her new learning space. “It’s weird for me because the old school was homey, and this is more flashy and new and bright,” she said. “But I like it.” The new school is full of natural light, streaming in through walls of windows. Rooftop solar panels, a rainwater harvesting system, energy-saving lights and high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning are among the school’s upgrades. The school features four science labs, two gyms, a theater area and areas for choir, band, art, robotics, home economics and other courses. A library and media center are located on the second floor. The main stairs leading to a loft are extra wide and heated, designed as a common space for students to sit and talk. The library is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows. A $170 million bond measure that voters approved in 2013 funded the construction project at Roosevelt as well the new Howard Elementary School building in north Eugene. The bond measure also paid for two major renovation projects at River Road/El Camino del Rio Elementary School and the Arts and Technology Academy, and provided updates to Gilham Elementary School. But the former Roosevelt building, built in 1950, has not been forgotten. Several old photos and maps of its floor plan are framed and displayed in a large staircase near the school’s entrance. The black-and-white photos feature former teachers and students. Mitchell said he hopes the lofty new space will enable students to feel comfortable and to thrive, but some students said their goals had been set long before the new school project had been completed. “My biggest goal is to just get really good grades,” 13-year-old Savannah Wegener said. “(To) also have fun with it, but I don’t know, I just have to focus on getting really good grades first.” |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Construction |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/34751131-75/a-rebuilt-roosevelt-middle-school-in-eugene-opens-to-students-for-the-start-of-a-new-year.html.csp |
