Ms. Jenni Mickelson, a first grade teacher at Cherry Valley Elementary, prepares her classroom for the first day of school. Cherry Valley Elementary School has been a hub of activity this summer. The school is just now finishing up Phase One of a fourphase remodel.

Thefirst phase included a long list of improvements such as adding new portables, remodeling some classrooms, and installing new heating, air conditioning and water retention systems. Also on the list were new paint and carpeting.

Construction on the new cafeteria as well as framing out the new office area at the front of the school (see photo on page 5) have also been underway.

We toured the school with Principal Darcy Becker who was very excited about the progress the builders, North West Construction, had made.

“Theyare working six days a week, twelve hours a day, and they have been great to work with,” she said.

Some of the greatest improvements have been made in classrooms. New learning stations have been installed along with wall units with sliding panels, added storage, white boards and new, ADA-compliant sinks. Classrooms were given phone and data ports and a new communication system.

Theschool has updated its security system with cameras and motion detectors.

The construction is scheduled to continue throughout the year and should be completed by August, 2011. This means that there will be some construction during the school year, but many steps have been taken to reduce the impact on students.

Much of the exterior work will be done on a split shift schedule so that work will be done before and after school hours. Once the interior work begins, hours of construction will return to a regular schedule.

According to Becker, North West Construction has vetted all of their workers and they have been cleared to work in the school environment.

The project will include a complete remodel of the classrooms, library and computer lab. A new cafeteria, covered play area, additional parking and a new entrance off of 3rd Avenue are in the works. Improvements will be made to the administration’s officesuch as a new conference room.

When asked about the changes to the school, Becker said, “I am so excited!”

The ongoing construction will need to be accommodated by students, faculty and staff.

One such change is that the covered play area had to be removed in order to make room for the new cafeteria. Becker explained that this means that the children will not always have a place to play outside during inclement weather.

“We want the children outside as much as possible so they can get fresh air, but there will be times when they have to stay in the classroom.”

She also encourages parents to send children to school with the proper clothing so that they can go outside as much as possible. She stressed the need for appropriate shoes.

“This is still a construction zone,” she said. “And we want to keep the kids safe.”

Her words of advice for the children beginning the school year?

“Patience,” she said. “’Patience’ is the word of the year. Patience with each other; patience with the process.”

Becker has been looking forward to the start of another school year.

“It is going to be exciting this year and I can’t wait for the kids to get here. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”