by Zach Sorenson and Alex Bernard

Wydown Head Principal Mary Ann Goldberg sits poised in the office she’s only occupied a year, framed by a ceiling-high window filling the room with light.  “It’s fabulous,” she smiles. “I hardly ever turn the lights on in my office.”

The windows, installed because of studies showing that natural light improves student achievement, are just one of the many features of the new school. Wydown Middle School, originally constructed in 1942, is currently undergoing a complete replacement of its facilities.  Still in line with the completion date projected in 2010, the school will be finished by the end of 2013.

In addition to new windows, solar panels are to be installed on the roof of the new school to help cut electricity costs, and to help with the school’s environmental impact.

But besides the addition of the solar panels, one large project remains: the field.

The field will satisfy the need for an outdoor gym facility and a parking garage.  The parking garage will be located underneath the field, an ambitious idea providing more space for parking, playing and learning. The field is to be finished sometime around January of 2014 according to Goldberg, although the field won’t be functional until the following school year in order for the “natural seeded sod” to take root and grow.

The new school was designed to be three things: practical, environmentally friendly and enticing.

The cafeteria, equipped with smaller square and circle tables, is easily rearranged for meetings, classes, and, of course, lunch.  “It’s just not a cafeteria all the time,” Goldberg said. “We wanted to have more flexibility.”

The computer “learning labs” in the hallways, plus the addition of exterior computerized window shades, also give Wydown a greater functionality than previously available.

The renovation of Wydown also gives the District a chance to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

Thanks to a parent’s donation of solar panels, part of the energy Wydown runs on will be fueled by the sun.  The tall windows will also allow teachers to rely on natural lighting for their classroom instead of electric lights.  “We’re hoping that they will save money in the long run,” Goldberg said.

Unfortunately, the creation of the new school did not come without inconveniences. During the previous school year students had to walk around the outside of the school in order to reach the other half of the school which housed the arts program, which resulted in students like 8th grader Jack Hollocher being late to classes most days. In addition, the gym was torn down during that summer so there were no proper gym facilities.

However, the nearly finished school displays sleek technology and beautiful architecture.  From the grand staircase leading into Main Street to the outdoor patio soon to be available for students during lunch, Wydown is more than just a school; it is an inspiration for all future middle schools.

In the end, Hollocher stated it perfectly. “I don’t miss anything about the old school,” he said.

With the three year, 39.4 million dollar project finally coming to an end, students and teachers are looking forward to starting their new chapter.

“The theme for this year is reconnecting,” Goldberg said.  “We are finding our new normal here at Wydown.  We’re just enjoying the fact that it’s here.”