Reconstruction has started at flood-ravaged Meeker Elementary School, and it’s going to look nothing like it used to
The building is a husk of what it was before
But
Along with the reconstruction comes a new look.
"We're rethinking the whole purpose of the space," district spokeswoman
Indeed, Meeker will have a layout unlike any other school in the district, a central hub of art and computer labs and a "maker studio" where students can do STEM projects, all accessible and connectible through sliding-glass doors. The library will be an open space in a hallway between that hub and classrooms, and each classroom will have its own library as well.
Many classrooms will also be connected by sliding-glass doors, enabling teaches to open them and teach classes together. The building will have far more natural light than it used to. And they gym floor will no longer be carpeted.
Meeker also will have added security measures that the building, which was finished in 1975, didn't. There wasn't a clear line of sight from the entrance to the front office, for example. The redesigned building will have a vestibule entrance, where visitors enter one set of doors, then have to be buzzed in through a second set of doors to enter the main office, which will be the only access point to the rest of the school.
"It's gonna be more conducive to what (our students) need," Myers said.
Meeker struggled the year before the flood. It fell to the
Accreditation ratings for the 2017-18 school year won't be out for several months. Myers said the district is "hopeful"
Students missed three days of school after the flood. Teachers were given an hour and a half to enter the ravaged school and gather whatever supplies they could. More supplies have come through donation drives and book fairs. Myers said the redesigned school should give students the stability they need.
"If it's going to be down like this," Myers said, "we might as well make it more usable."
Now that the building has been gutted, crews will start laying out the floors, plumbing and electrical lines, said
None of this will be cheap. The demolition and construction will cost
It's undetermined who'll pay for this. The flood was caused when
The district is paying for the reconstruction out of its reserves until the insurance situation is resolved, Myers said, knowing that either its insurance company or the city's will reimburse a large portion of the costs. What's most important to the district, though, is getting the school back.
"Just being able to focus on the day-to-day education that needs to happen in their school has been a challenge," Myers said. "Right now the priority has to be getting them back into their building and into a stable learning environment."
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