Hamilton City School open houses
Bridgeport Elementary: 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 24, 2171 Bridgeport Drive
Linden: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24, 801 Hoadley Ave.
Ridgeway: 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 24, 267 Wasserman Road
Fairwood: 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 25, 281 N. Fair Ave.
Hamilton Freshman School: 3 p.m. (a-k), 5:30 p.m. (l-z), 2260 NW Washington Blvd.
Garfield Middle School: 6 p.m. Aug. 26, 250 Fair Ave.
Wilson Middle School: Eighth-graders, 6:45 & 7:15 p.m. (at Lincoln Elementary, 701 N. E St.) Aug. 26; seventh-graders at 7 and 7:15 p.m. (at Adams Elementary, 450 S. F St.)
Hamilton High School: Sophomores, 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 26, 1165 Eaton Ave.
HAMILTON — The first four of eight new Hamilton City Schools elementary buildings will open to students Aug. 26 on time and under budget.
“We have created state-of-the-art learning spaces,” said Jim Boerke, district director of planning, operations and construction management. “The new schools are a mix of classrooms of all sizes, extended learning areas and media centers.”
The completion of Bridgeport, Fairwood, Linden and Ridgeway elementaries puts the district about halfway through its master facilities plan.
“I am happy we are finishing the first four elementary buildings,” Boerke said. “There’s much left to do ... the results will be fantastic for the students and the community.”
Final costs came in at $16.6 million for Fairwood, Linden and Ridgeway and $17 million for Bridgeport due to additional site work.
The buildings will help better educate students, said Kathy Wagonfield, principal of Ridgeway.
“Our science labs will allow for more advanced science instruction and our media centers will be wholistic centers for learning.”
The schools will offer a more intense fine arts program, updated technology, a “clean green” environment and a safer facility, Wagonfield said.
Other construction projects under way around the district include Brookwood, Crawford Woods, Highland and Riverview elementaries — scheduled to open in 2010 — a partial rebuild of Wilson Middle School, renovations at Garfield Middle School and a new fitness facility/basketball arena at Hamilton High School.
“Things are really starting to happen in my hometown,” said Jim Paulus, a Hamilton resident since 1955. “Art Space is coming to town, Miami Hamilton Downtown has just finished its second year and the first new schools in about 50 years are opening.”
Years of planning are coming to fruition as district prepares to open 4 new buildings.
Planning for construction in the Hamilton City School District has been years in the making — 18 to be exact.
The first four of eight new elementary schools — Bridgeport, Fairwood, Linden and Ridgeway — will open Aug. 26.
“This is a tremendous boost for our entire community as Hamilton recovers from the recession,” said Glenn Stitsinger, board president. “It is going to give our students a greater opportunity for success in a modern up-to-date educational system with the latest in technology and innovation.”
The overwhelming comment during a tour of Bridgeport Elementary on July 15 was short and simple: “Wow.”
“They are beautiful, they are high tech, they are open — if I were going back to grade school at one of the new schools I would be excited,” said Jim Paulus, who led the redistricting committee, adding that he was “pleased to have been involved with this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Each school is constructed from the same kit of materials, but with different color schemes and elements, and has a story a tell.
Led by a quote from legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright — “Buildings, too, are children of earth and sun” — the interior design team, Cindy Kilpatrick Dingeldein, Steed Hammond Paul project manager, and Carrie Malatesta worked to give the schools unique themes using the four elements of nature as building blocks — earth, air, fire and water.
The designs of the media centers are the highlight and most impressive part of the buildings, designers said.
As promised, a daylight harvesting system that maximizes access to daylight and minimizes the need for artificial light is provided in classrooms in the new buildings.
Each school has aspects that will give “21st century students a 21st century education,” said Kathy Wagonfield, principal of Ridgeway Elementary.
Extended learning centers give teachers the ability to pull students out to make up a test, for discipline or for intervention without disturbing other students.
Each facility contains energy efficient HVAC systems, controlled access security to all doors, a fully functional gym separate from the cafeteria and a “pod classroom layout that promotes departmentalized/specialized instruction in each subject,” Wagonfield said.
That’s four down and four to go, not to mention a new/updated Wilson Middle School and a new gymnasium and field house under construction at Hamilton High School.
“By the end of 2011, the district buildings will essentially all be new,” said Jim Boerke, district director of planning, operations and construction management.
The master facilities plan was created in 1997. A bond issue approved in 1999 funded Phase I and Phase II which included renovations at Hamilton High School — the north wing and an addition to house fine arts programs — which was completed in 2002; and a new freshman school and total renovation of Garfield Middle School, which was completed in 2004.
Passage of a bond issue in 2006 will generate the local share — $72 million — needed to complete Phase III of the district’s master facilities plan, which includes the eight new elementary schools. The Ohio School Facilities Commission will pay the remaining $120 million of the cost.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2158 or lebbing@coxohio.com.
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