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50 °F 5 Day Forecast Friday, December 5, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 14, 2003 Painter Don Stainbrook works on decorative columns salvaged from the old Central Point Elementary School, which were incorporated into the new school�s lobby, along with an old stained-glass light hanging in the upper right of this image. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Coping with construction Crews hammer away at completing work on Central Point Elementary School, while faculty, students say it’s worth the inconvenience By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune The chaos created by hammers and saws may drown out teachers’ voices from time to time, but Central Point Elementary School Principal Kirk Gibson on Monday admitted the dilemma has a certain appeal. "The truth is, it’s a great problem to have," Gibson said while walking the halls of the nearly completed school as construction crews labored in the building’s foyer and gymnasium. "To have a facility this new, it makes it easy to come to work every day." After nearly two years of construction, a new and expanded Central Point Elementary School opened in September. Crews from Vitus Construction in Gold Hill are expected to wrap up the project by November, but students and teachers have been hard at work inside the 68,000-square-foot building since school opened this fall. On the first day, Gibson said exclamations of wonderment could be heard coming from bathrooms as young students marveled over automatic sinks and toilets. Advertisement Some students, like 10-year-old Matt Cooper, were overwhelmed by the size of the new building. "It was a lot bigger. You could almost get lost in here on the first day," admitted the fourth-grader. "The carpet was all different colors ... it’s all pretty cool." Teachers, too, were impressed with the size and scope of the new school. "I love it. It’s awesome," said second-grade teacher Sarah Challman. "It’s big, it’s clean, it’s just great." The project was made possible by voters who in 2000 approved a bond measure for district-wide improvements. At Central Point Elementary, a new building was needed to alleviate overcrowding. The district also wanted a single structure to` house all 430 students rather than the former set-up, which included two antiquated brick buildings, a gym and temporary classrooms scattered on the campus. The new school has a capacity for 500 students, and extra classrooms can be built without complication if needed at a later date. Gone now are the temporary barracks first used at Camp White in the 1940s and later moved and converted into classrooms at Central Point Elementary. In their place is a new, modern playground and recess area. Also missing is one of two brick buildings that housed Central Point students for nearly a century. The trademark white columns and an old stained-glass lamp from that portion of the school have been moved into the entryway of the new building. The second brick building has been remodeled into a district office, and retains its historic look. Gibson said officials from Vitus have been working hand-in-hand with school officials to complete the project without interfering in lesson plans. Keeping students safe has also been a top priority, he added. Despite all those challenges, the project has progressed on schedule. "They worked a miracle to get us in by September," he added. Many at Central Point Elementary admitted they miss the old buildings, despite all the advantages of the new school. Challman, the second-grade teacher, said she misses her old "cottage" — one of the army barracks used as a classroom — from time to time. "You could pound holes into the walls and nobody cared," she said, and added that, like most teachers at the new building, she’s hesitant to decorate her new classroom. "I do miss certain aspects (of the old set-up). It had a certain charm." Despite its character, the old school created plenty of headaches for educators. Gibson recalled major problems created by antiquated electric, plumbing and heating systems. The building didn’t meet disabled-access guidelines, and students spent much of their time walking from building to building. Turning the building into a district office was the perfect solution, added Gibson. "We would never want to lose that," he said. "It’s just too important to the community. There are a lot of memories." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Other projects voters approved in 2000 In 2000, Central Point voters approved a $30 million bond to pay for school improvements throughout the district. After two years of construction, every project is either finished or nearing completion. Here’s a list of other projects: Hanby Middle School — By September work crews had remodeled the existing building and a new wing of classrooms was added. Construction on a bridge connecting the two structures is expected to wrap up in November. Crater High School — A new wing of classrooms and a student center opened in September. The auditorium should be completed sometime this fall. District office — A historic brick building, once part of Central Point Elementary, was remodeled and opened as the district office in June. Mae Richardson Elementary — New classrooms and a student commons area were finished by fall 2002. Transportation center — The district purchased property and built a facility to house its fleet of automobiles. That project was completed during the 2001-02 school year. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! 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