Tusky Valley officially opens new elementary school
First-grade teacher Nikki Nazaroff demonstrates how partition dividers that form the outer wall of the classrooms feature whiteboards and magnetic boards on the opposite side.
The grand opening of Tusky Valley Elementary School on Aug. 29 marked the fulfillment of a 19-year dream: to bring all district schools onto a single campus.
A dedication ceremony in the gymnasium with speeches by multiple administrators and dignitaries was capped off by a ribbon-cutting ceremony including a number of grade school children. The high school band also took part, playing the Tusky Valley alma mater and closing the ceremony with a version of the TVHS Fight Song.
Afterward the public was invited to stay for a cookie reception and self-guided tours of the new 101,000-square-foot facility.
Of all the amenities in the new school, the public favorite that evening was the air-conditioning.
Teacher Nikki Nazaroff demonstrated the partitions that form the fourth wall of the first-grade classrooms fronting a shared hallway. “I can close one part and leave two open, close two, or close them all,” she said. “Each panel has a whiteboard on the other side, and they’re magnetic.”
Nazaroff said this is the first time in her 18-year career she has been able to teach in a new building. “The rooms are a little bigger, there’s lots of storage, and everything is new and up to date. I think it’s going to be much better for the kids.”
Kindergarten teacher Torey Connor is in her fifth year of teaching with Tusky Valley after 17 years teaching in other districts. Connor welcomed half of her class of 22 on Thursday, Sept. 5 and the other half on Friday, Sept. 6.
“Gosh, it’s just gorgeous,” Connor said. “Every time I come in I fall a little bit more in love with it. It’s just a great space; it’s usable space. We’re going to be able to learn a lot in here and have a lot of fun.”
Connor said the new classroom, which includes its own sink and drinking fountain, is about twice the size of her room in Mineral City. “I’m very excited about the new technology,” she said, pointing out the Clevertouch interactive boards that double as giant whiteboards. “I also have a wonderful view out the windows here.”
Spacious and flexible
Those windows and that view are an intentional part of the way the entire new school complex, which includes the new middle/high school, was designed to offer spacious classrooms and plenty of natural light.
All classrooms in the elementary school have been designed for maximum flexibility and outfitted with interactive technology and sound enhancement systems, just as the middle/high school is.
There also is a center where students and teachers can gather for special presentations, school meetings or after-school programming. Just outside is a patio for outdoor learning and a playground.
In the cafeteria is a vending machine filled, not with snacks and drinks, but with books. Students can earn vending tokens from their teachers to use the machine to purchase books.
The latest security measures also are in place including a new vestibule at the entrance equipped with a badge maker that visitors must wait in until they are buzzed into the office.
On the softer side, the school has a sensory room for kids who need a break or to calm down and its own therapy dog Hank. A Golden Labradoodle, Hank is the brother of Yikity Yak, the middle school therapy dog.
The new facility was built by adding about 45,000 square feet to the existing middle school built in 1996. The entire school complex was built using Rover Pipeline dollars, eliminating the need for a bond issue or taxing the local community in any way.
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission paid a 39% state share, and contributions from donors in the community helped make the vision of the new school a reality.
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the doors were flung open to welcome more than 700 students from Pre-K to sixth grade to a whole new world of learning.
“The entire facility is beautifully designed for our students, staff and community to enjoy for generations to come,” said Derek Varansky, superintendent of Tusky Valley Schools.