Constructing a New Education in The Middle School
Teachers toured the junior high to observe the progress of the Platteview Central Renovation project.
September 11, 2018
A glimpse inside of Platteview Central mid-construction.
Tripping over wires and smelling fresh paint is something that all high schoolers have grown used to since construction started in April of 2018. However, the projects in the high school can not compare to the construction happening in the junior high. The inside is completely torn out, the remains of seventh and eighth grade classrooms now unrecognizable. Haussmann Construction is working fast but careful and, though a few weeks behind, they plan on being done by October 15th, 2018.
Middle school students now share lunchrooms and the occasional classroom with high schoolers. Ireland Pearrow, a seventh grader at Platteview Central, talked about her excitement for the new building. “[I am excited] to have school inside instead of going outside to get to class.”
PC Students are not the only people affected by the construction. All teachers in the junior high are moved into portables until the project is complete. Mrs. Thomas, the eighth grade science teacher, mentioned, “The main struggle for me was packing up all my supplies and cleaning out my room. I was [also] a little nervous about teaching in a portable, but surprisingly it is not bad.” She continued on a positive note, saying, “You can’t spell challenge without change, and ‘change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous in the end.’ And PC is going to look great!” The prospect of a new building has the majority of people speaking positively of what is to come.
“Mr. Johnson took some of the junior high teachers on a tour of the new building earlier this week. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m really excited about my new classroom. It’s nice to know we’ll be in a space that supports student-directed investigations,” Mrs. Clayton, the newest addition to Platteview Central, said.
Junior high principal Darin Johnson said, “The feeling has been [overall] positive. Our teachers know that we have some short term challenges in order to have a beautiful building for students and staff in the long run.” He continued, mentioning how “it will be awesome for [the] community.”
Everyone is awaiting and anticipating the arrival of the updated Platteview Central building and the big reveal.