COLUMBUS, Ind. — Officials from the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) gave a behind-the-scenes preview of the renovations at Parkside Elementary School to local media on Tuesday afternoon.
About $16 million has been devoted to the renovations that the school corporation says will take two years. Interior work began in October and will take place across multiple phases, per BCSC.
“We want this school to be like 21st-century learning,” Parkside Principal Chris Smith said. “Not just learning, but what you see when you go to places where people work.”
Interior demolition has started in two parts of the building which will soon become the new 6th-grade and kindergarten classrooms. While the demolition continues, temporary classes have been created in the gym (seen below) and the Harrison Room, making eight total temporary classrooms. Project manager Bob Ferguson said the kindergarten and 6th-grade classrooms are expected to be finished by this coming spring. In the future, construction crews will begin converting a space known as the Forum into a STEM lab and the music room into an emotional wellness center.
Temporary kindergarten classroom in the gym.
Other changes to the school include large group instruction areas, single-lockable restrooms, and more natural light. Classrooms will also feature more flooring, cabinetry, and windows, while significant architectural features, such as existing interior beams, will be preserved.
BCSC Project Manager Bob Ferguson discussing a blueprint.
