West Valley unveils expanded, up-to-date school
<p>Students in James Mepham's music class gather together to play their instruments on Wednesday, September 16, in part of the new additions to West Valley School. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>From left, Cody Frost, Landon Tonjum, and Reid Kingsolver, use their study hall to work on speeches for history class on Wednesday, September 16, at West Valley School. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Classrooms with garage doors are one of the features of the new classrooms at West Valley School. The doors can be opened so students can carry their work out into the open common area. Multiple classes can also work in tandem sharing the space freely. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Students run during their physical education class on Wednesday, September 16, in the new gym at West Valley School. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>The "fuel up" kitchen area is still under construction at West Valley School. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
The first thing one notices when walking into the new addition of West Valley School is the natural light, bright colors and all the extra room — 36,000 additional square feet.
The addition includes 13 new classrooms, a music room, special education life skills room, science laboratory, library, kitchen and auxiliary gym. The project was funded with a $6.8 million bond.
By sticking to the budget and keeping a robust contingency fund the district was also able to upgrade the existing building with new siding. Classrooms got new flooring, paint and furniture, and in 11 classrooms new windows were installed.
Construction is basically completed except for the kitchen. West Valley Superintendent Cal Ketchum is hoping the kitchen will be finished by mid- to late-October. One classroom, converted from an old office, also is still under construction on the north side of the building.
The addition was built to accommodate overcrowding and a student population that has grown by 5 percent annually over the past decade.
“Right now we’re hiring another first-grade teacher so we’re going to have four first-grade sections,” Ketchum said. “One thing we did when we built, we knew we needed room to grow.”
The spaciousness is evident as middle school students pass from one class to another in the new addition. A year ago it was a different story, which seventh-grader Landon Tonjum is quite aware of. Tonjum has attended West Valley since kindergarten and has experienced having to maneuver through both sides of the building.
“It’s just so much wider on each side; not as crowded,” Tonjum said about the new addition while putting away a laptop in a mobile cart.
The mobile laptop carts replace the school computer lab and reflect the design focus on flexibility.
“Most of the teachers like the mobile carts rather than take up space with a computer lab,” district Technology Coordinator Mark Wilson said. “The culture out here is that teachers really would have the computers in their classrooms rather than bringing their kids down to a lab.”
Almost everything is movable in the new building, including technology, furniture and even walls. Most classrooms have an overhead door that opens into the commons area.
“It really is conducive to a 21st century learner,” Ketchum said. I don’t know about you, but you probably went and sat in a classroom, got your books out — and we still do that here — but we have the capability with technology to do your work pretty much anywhere. The idea is not limiting yourself to that space inside the classroom.”
On a recent school day sixth-grade language arts teacher Vonnie McDonald had the overhead door to her classroom open.
“They like having it up,” McDonald said about her students. “I’ve asked multiple times if it bothers them. I think it’s kept the noise level in the hallway down, too, because kids see these garage doors open and they are very respectful.”
The goal of the special doors was to extend the classroom space and it has for McDonald. Across from her classroom in the commons area are steps where students can sit.
“With the overhead doors I have a view out to those steps, which is awesome because students have been going out there and working in small groups and I have full visibility,” she added.
The desks have a square design and two wheels so they can be easily moved into different configurations, McDonald said. The desks are also stackable.
“I like the flexibility of it. Everything’s mobile, so we can move around a lot within the classroom,” she said.
Standing up from a lime green chair, sixth-grader Hannah Shiesl said she really likes the pop of color in the new building.
“Every grade level has their own color,” Ketchum said while walking through the old section of the building, which houses elementary grades and a learning center.
In the library, kindergartners bound around looking at books. The library is now more centrally located, said Librarian Renell Wilson.
“I used to be on the end of the building,” Wilson said. “Now, with a more central location it’s easy to access for everybody and the middle school is already using it more.”
Out in the parking lot, parent Gretchen Alexander was picking up her son, third-grader Gavin.
“The new addition will make kids want to come to school because they did such a fantastic job,” Alexander said. “It’s so fabulous and fun.”
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.