|Photo by Emma Delk| Students at Washington Lands Elementary School are greeted by their teachers and the school’s therapy dog, Meadow, on the first day of school in Marshall County.
MOUNDSVILLE – As students at Washington Lands Elementary School showed each other their new pencils and backpacks on the first day of school in Marshall County, Principal Julie Sturgill was equally excited to show students news from the past three school years for the first time.
As Washington Lands students stepped off the bus or car, they were greeted by a line of teachers and Meadow, the school’s therapy dog, before getting their first look at the new classrooms, gym, library and other facilities.
The school has not undergone major renovations since it was built in 1976. Sturgill noted that the improvements were necessary for aesthetic and safety reasons. The building’s classrooms were originally built with “eight-foot gaps” facing the hallway, but these have now been replaced with doors that lead from the hallway to the classrooms.
“It was nice to see everyone, but it was also not a safe situation,” Sturgill said. “We couldn’t impose curfews because if you went into a classroom, everything was open. You could just walk down the hall and see the whole class sitting there, learning from the 6-foot distance.”
A new alarm system with voice command capability and air quality alerts was also installed in the building. Michael Price, Marshall County’s school facilities director, said the system will soon be installed in “most schools” in the district.
In addition to the modernizations for safety reasons, the rollable walls that separated the classrooms before the modernization were replaced with doors that can be closed between each grade level to give teachers more privacy.
“Back then, it was innovative to leave everything open in schools, but that’s not the case anymore,” Sturgill said. “Depending on the noise level in the classroom, it’s really nice that everyone has their own space, but the teachers still have access to each other’s rooms in the back of the classroom through the sliding door.”
In addition to improvements to the existing classrooms, a new 85-by-55-foot gymnasium was added to the school to eliminate the need to use the cafeteria as a gym. Another addition was a new stage extension, creating a dedicated performance area for the school’s growing music program.
Washington Lands music teacher Eli Lambie was excited to see the choir students take to the new stage this year, noting that before the expansion, when the choir had 70 students, students were “always streaming to the front.”
“We have a stage with better lighting, better sound and a nicer space that really puts the kids in a good place,” Lambie said. “I’m looking forward to doing fun shows this year to open our new space.”
Other upgrades to the building include a new ventilation system, generator, bathrooms, carpets, floors and walls, which have been topped off with a fresh coat of paint.
Sturgill said that while work on the school’s interior would stop, work on the outdoor classroom would continue. Marshall County Schools Superintendent Shelby Haines estimated the project would be completed by the end of the first semester.
During the three years it took to complete most of the improvements, teachers often had to be shuffled between classrooms. Sturgill noted that the construction work was “harder on the teachers than the students.”
“Kids are very resilient and the teachers have handled the changes of changing classes during the school year very well,” Sturgill said. “It was a little stressful, but we got through it.”
For Sturgill, it was “exciting” to start a new school year without major construction on the building.
“I’m just excited for all the students to come in and see everything finished,” Sturgill said. “No parts of the building will be cordoned off, which is great because part of the school has been boarded up for the past few years. We can finally get into a routine with the students and let them experience the new Washington Lands.”
There were many “wow” sounds as students entered their new classrooms and hallways. Hearing the students’ excitement about the new school year and new facilities was the best part of the morning for Haines.
“It’s the best day of the year,” Haines said. “Kids and teachers are back together, seeing everyone smile and getting lots of hugs. The teachers and staff at Washington Lands have been amazing throughout the process, even though they were moved and consolidated many times during construction.”
Haines added that students at other schools in the county will also be able to witness the upgrades being implemented in their buildings. She noted that one of the other “major projects” is Sand Hill Elementary School, where students will be housed in a temporary building while a new building is constructed.
While students got their first look at the modernized Washington Lands building Tuesday morning, Washington Lands kindergarten teacher Deanne Clutter was also excited for parents and community members to soon see the new facilities.
“It was very difficult to have community events here during construction, so we can start this school year with a warm welcome because we can invite everyone to our school,” Clutter said. “The best part is that we get everyone back in our school.”
