Five for Friday...Big Changes

I'm joining  Doodle Bugs Teaching for her weekly linky party Five for Friday.

I realized school was out and I never had posted any pictures of our remodeled school except for my classroom. So here is a little reminder of what it used to look like. Before, the school was made up up four separate buildings all built in different decades (1920s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s). The original 1920s building was in terrible shape but we needed the classrooms. 

Here is the 1960s main building. This building was completely renovated inside and a library was added to the front of the building.

This is what the front of the building looks like now.

The building on the left is the 1920s original schoolhouse and the one on the right is the 1950s cafeteria originally and then our library. Both of these building were torn down. 

Here is a picture of the new construction that joined the main building and the renovated gym.

 The last building was built in the 1940s by the WPA. It was a gym, they left the shell of the building and converted it to classrooms. 

This what they did with the gym. It is the section on the right. They enclosed the front of the building to help preserve the sandstone. They moved the Spencer sign down inside the building and it is lit up at night.

Considering they were trying mesh sandstone with a light orangey colored brick, I think they did an outstanding job.

Obviously they inside of the building was a huge change also. Here are a few pictures. I took the pictures at the end of the year after the students were gone. 

The library. Normally there are stuffed animals and books displayed on the to of the shelves.

The computer lab. 

Two decorative tiles, the first is at the main entrance. 

This is what my principal calls the "long gray mile" that leads to the old gym building. 

This a picture going towards the main building.

I won't show pictures of my classroom, but needless to say it is the same color scheme throughout. When you're inside the building, it is hard to know if you are in the old section or the new section. They really did a great job.

So I don't have a picture for this one, but I am changing grade levels, schools and school districts next year. Yikes!!! I've been at my school for 20 years, it's the only school I have ever taught at. This is a big change for me. I will miss my kids and all of the parents I have gotten to know over the years. Delaney is what prompted my move. She is in a different district and their calendar is the normal school calendar of basically 9 months on and 3 off. My district was on sort of a year around schedule so I was reporting back July 30 and Delaney was out until Aug. 19. She got out May 23 and I was still working until June 9. I didn't feel like that was a good situation with her going into middle school. Next year I will be teaching 3rd grade science and social studies at the grade school where Delaney just "graduated".  Right now I am feeling nervous, scared, a little sad and a lot excited. It will be strange to be the new kid on the block. It will be interesting, the principal gave me a couple of books that use picture books as the  base for  inquiry science projects. I think I get to pick and choose the projects I want to do. For social studies, it is all Oklahoma History which I have always loved teaching so that's cool.

I spent Monday and Tuesday packing up 20 years of my life (that sounds rather dramatic). It was kind of weird because I didn't find out I definitely had the job until all of the teachers had left for the summer so it was just me and the custodians.

Wednesday I got to go to my new school and take some of my books and stuff. The school is older and hasn't been remodeled, but it always seemed full of life anytime I was there last year. The principal said I could paint the walls and cabinets if I wanted. I know I am going to paint the cabinets, I don't know if I will have time for the walls. Here are a few pictures.

It has six windows, I love that! I love to open the shades and turn off the lights if it is bright enough.

Sorry the picture is blurry, it is the only one that shows the two cabinets that I plan to paint.  

I do have a Smart Board! The school is pretty up to date with technology. ; )

Have a great weekend!