GREENSBORO, N.C. — In just one year, students and staff at Brooks Global Studies Elementary School will learn and grow in a brand-new school building.
It is one of six Guilford County School projects, funded with bond money.
The community came together for the topping-out ceremony a few weeks ago, where the final steel beam was put into place.
The current school will soon become a piece of the past and it is leaning toward a more sustainable and bright future.
Built in the 1950s, the current Brooks Global Studies Elementary School has seen better days.
Brooks Global Studies Elementary School Principal, Mary Sluder said the challenges make it difficult to embrace learning.
"We've definitely had some infrastructure issues," Sluder said. "A few years ago, we had a floor that partially collapsed and had to be rebuilt. We have toilets that don't flush well. Some roots have grown into the piping below the surface. When it rains heavily, we have a lot of leaking throughout the building, and in some classrooms and offices, the ceiling tiles because of that water have fallen off and onto the floor. "
It makes it difficult to bring innovative learning to a building that is falling apart.
These challenges, along with not having a gym and collaborative spaces, are what put the school at the top of the list for a new school.
"Students and parents ask me all the time, 'When's our new building going to be finished,' they're excited to get moved in this space," she said.
Sluder said seeing the progress made at the new site is breathtaking.
"It is so exciting to see all of these renderings of these buildings," said Sluder. "It's difficult to imagine because I haven't been in a school that looks like this and so for the voters of Guilford County to have provided us access to such an amazing and beautiful learning space is going to be so wonderful."
Scott Nelsen is the architect for Clark Nexsen, which is building Brooks Global Studies Elementary School.
"This the courtyard that we're looking at onto right now, where there's play areas, there's grass, there's even composting things like that," said Scott Nelsen.
Sustainability is one of the key components of the new school.
There are a lot of features representing that including an outdoor classroom with views of the solar panels used to bring energy into the school.
"The idea here is that students can see how their school is operating and see that they're being sustainable and generating energy," said Nelsen.
The ceiling tiles are used with high recycled material and the wood beams supporting the school are sustainable.
Also, the school is just across the street from the Greensboro Arboretum, which allows for more opportunities to learn.
The other focus is for students to discover.
"There's a decal that we have on this glass that shows the letters discover and it's made of a bunch of sustainability icons," said Nelsen. "We were excited about how that word could play out in this school and represent the student's ability to discover their world through the building."
Also, with the large windows, it allows students and teachers to have an eye on the outside while working inside.
The build though has come with its challenges.
"It's a very small site," said Nelsen. "We had to fit an 80,000-square-foot building on this site."
He said they are used to building on 12 to 13-acre lots and this one was roughly 8 acres.
Nelsen said it has taken a great amount of community participation.
After talking with neighbors, there will be two separate loops for buses and cars to avoid any traffic or disruption. Also, a survey from the school showed that fewer students take the bus, so that will be in the smaller loop and the car drop-offs will be in the bigger loop.
Also, many people expressed their love for the murals in the old school, so they plan to have photos of them displayed in the new school.
"It's something I've worked on for several years, it's amazing to see it all come together, it's coming together quickly," said Nelsen.
The school is set for a mid-year opening in January 2025.