The new classrooms at Columbus were a big step up from the old facilities on the campus, teachers said.
“I think the biggest difference is the fact that it’s clean,” third-grade teacher Jennifer McLaughlin said, explaining that her old bungalow did not offer the same comfort as her new, second-floor classroom.
Fourth-grade teacher Isabel Pittman’s old classroom was often interrupted by outside distractions, she said.
“It just wasn’t soundproof,” Pittman said. “You could hear everything from the playground, everything from the bathroom. The walls were just very thin.”
Some window blinds in the bungalows weren’t functional, and some buildings were in the shadows of others, resulting in a poorly lit learning environment that was a stark contrast to the new facility, teachers said.
“I think the lighting is spectacular because we have a lot of natural lighting,” McLaughlin said of her new room.
The improved lighting was due in large part to the wall-to-wall windows that face the exterior of the school, as well as special ceiling tiles and lighting fixtures, including energy-efficient bulbs, that made the rooms brighter, while also being less expensive, Fenton said.
“The most important part is we have the bulletin board built into the wall,” McLaughlin said of the new room, which allowed for more space to motivate students by displaying their work.
Students said the most exciting aspect of the new facilities was the playground, which included monkey bars and a pair of jungle gym towers.
