New school facilities open for 2008-09
August 18, 2008 – New school facilities are opening for 2008-09 with some schools beginning the school year August 25 at new locations. The changing locations will mean new transportation patterns that drivers will need to consider. Assistant Superintendent Burriss talks with reporters about Smith Elementary move into the Banks Road campus. |
Listen to Mike Burriss talk about new school facilities opening for 2008-09 4 minute mp3 file |
Smith Elementary at Banks Road
Smith Elementary will move to the Banks Road campus at 10225 Chambers Road in Raleigh for a year while the Smith campus is renovated. The school system has moved faculty and students into swing space during campus renovations, speeding up the construction process and allowing instruction to proceed without the distractions of construction. Smith will return to its renovated campus and Banks Road will open with its own students in 2009.
“The teachers are very excited about the new facility,” said Mike Burriss, WCPSS Assistant Superintendent for Facilities. “They’re very excited about the chance to start new and continue the progress they’ve made this past year. Their grades are up and their population is on a roll.”
Burriss said the Banks Road campus is unique because of the partnership between the school system, Wake County Government and the town of Fuquay-Varina. The town helped locate the site and paid for three soccer fields there. Wake County paid for the open space, preserving the wetland area adjacent to Middle Creek.
The Banks Road campus has a two-story classroom wing that will serve students in grades 3-5. Students in K-2 will be in first floor classrooms.
Burriss said the building uses green technology with its orientation north-south. Natural daylighting comes in from the north and the school was designed to use the natural lighting from the south-facing windows. Light shelves block and shelter the daylight, reflecting onto classroom ceilings and providing natural lighting for the entire classroom.
New school facilities at all grade levels
Students from Aversboro Elementary will move into their newly renovated building this year. WCPSS began constructing a new school behind the existing school for Aversboro students to occupy in 2008-09.
Root Elementary will open in a temporary modular campus at North Hills, while the Root campus undergoes renovation.
New three-story classroom buildings have been added at Cary High and East Millbrook Middle. At Martin Middle, students will find new CTE classrooms and core services space. Renovations at Lynn Road Elementary have been completed adding classroom space.
River Bend Elementary continues in its temporary modular campus on Spring Forest Road and will move into its permanent facility when it’s ready later this year.
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