GREENSBORO, N.C. — Nestled next to the old Peck Elementary, a new 138,125 square foot building stands tall and stands proud.
In January of 2025, the new Peck Expeditionary School will be open for business, or in this case, for learning.
"I remember kind of as we were all coming back into the building after the pandemic planning for this building started in 2020 so soon after that the architects got gathered community feedback, gathered parent feedback, student feedback, and since then it's just nice to see that all of those dreams and hopes for the future and what our school could be is now coming to fruition," said the school's Principal Ashley Triplett.
Triplett has been with this project from the get-go for her student, now with less than 2 months before opening, everything is starting to fall into place.
"They designed a school that is meant to merge that idea of the out coming in right the outside that you see the greens and the colors behind me that are very they mimic right a forest and nature and so that idea of expeditions which is something that our students are going to be doing in the in our learning communities," touted Triplett.
Yet, while the new Peck Elementary will have all the trappings to house Guilford's best and brightest from K-8th grade, it's also the small things that make this new building feel like home.
"My space doesn't have a white board," said Peck's 2nd-grade teacher, Shelley Doolen when talking about her old space, "the heat went out completely and actually every year I have been at Peck, I have spent a chunk of the year without air conditioning or without heat," said Doolen.
Doolon has been with Peck for 9 years and today was the first day she sat foot into the halls of her new classroom.
"I live in the neighborhood. I have lived here for almost 20 years now. Um, and to see the city and the district actually really invest in something. Amazing for our kids. I think it makes them feel like we care for them and that they matter."
While the new building will be ready come January 2025, 7th and 8th grade students will be accepted at later dates still unannounced.