School's in for summer wALTON MIDDLE SCHOOL OPENS FOR A NEW GENERATION OF STUDENTS
The Walton Mascot is inlaid into the center of the gym floor facing the home crowd for future generations.
Most know the feeling of a fresh start, whether it be in a new home, a new town, or even starting a new year, but next week, hundreds of kids will be immersed into everything new as Walton Middle School(WMS) opens its doors after a frenzied but fruitful year of moving, tearing down, planning, and building.
Walton School District Facilities Director Mark Gardner opened the doors, and our eyes at all the activity and progress the district, Ryan Newell, Project Engineer with Lord & Son Construction, staff and administration had made since our last visit a few months ago.
“We’re getting there. Everyone’s working their hearts out to make this a great school and to make it student ready on time,” Gardner said as we walked through the cool, clean corridors, and admired the functional and student ready choices staff, and administration played a part in picking out.
Whether it was student stations that are sturdy, and yet hide cords and wires from playing a distraction, to table tops in the media center most would be happy to pull a chair up to in any metropolitan airport and plug in a USB cord, to interactive touch screens on the walls with Omni-directional microphones that help kids hear teachers better, and thus retain more according to educational studies. Each classroom will hold distinctively futuristic charging stations that power up tablets each student will have for their use in the classrooms.
Even as futuristic as it all sound the classrooms have a cool and serene tone with blues and and down-to-earth colors that help ground the students in the now, and their work at hand.
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SCOTT HULION stands at the entrance of the administration office excited about the upcoming weeks and welcoming new students to the new school.
Assistant Principal Scott Hulion said the district had embraced the staff and administration’s opinions when picking out the furniture and accessories students would use since they had real classroom experience with what works and what might not.
A SPECIAL GIFT FROM LORD AND SON Construction, Inc. is a green house located outside of the science labs for students to learn from and enjoy.
A special bonus, a green house in a Gotham arched style has been built by hand by Lord & Son Construction as a gift to the school and students. Placed near the science labs, it was “something we just wanted to do. We’ve really become a part of this place, this community, and it’s become a part of us in the last year” Newell told The Herald as we finished up our tour. Adding, “It’s been a busy but great year, and we’ve worked hard, but with the most amazing people and we have some great memories of this special project.”
The Cafeatorium doubles as a place to eat and a place for students to see presentations.
The smart screens also came with free training for teachers, and we happened upon one during our visit.
A picture that adorns the principal's wall.
On Aug. 8, sixth-grade students and their parents will be welcomed to an open house and orientation and grades seven and eight will follow on Aug. 9. Aug. 10th will be the first day in the new school.
The team that made the almost impossible happen in the last year has been filled with dedicated professionals and experts in the field of construction and support to education. (L-R)Van Linn – Owner, Ivanco, Inc,Keith Alford – Maintenance Foreman, WCSD, Henry Martin – Technology Information Officer, WCSD, Ryan Newell – Project Engineer, Lord & Son Construction, Inc., Mark Gardner – Facilities Director, WCSD, Steve Christopher – VP Operations, Lord & Son Construction, Inc., Rick Rothgeb – Computer & Electronic Systems Specialist, WCSD, Bill Quinn – Global Security International (GSI),Chris Turner – Global Security International (GSI).
.