Posted 2:16 am Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Jacksonville ISD Leaders Break Ground On New Elementary School
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE — A better environment for teachers and students is on its way to Joe Wright Elementary School.
With shovels in hand, school leaders broke ground Tuesday on the new Joe Wright, which is being built at the corner of U.S. Highway 175 and Pineda Street.
Once completed, Joe Wright will be more than 85,000 square feet and cost about $16.5 million. The goal for occupancy is August 2012.
Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE — A better environment for teachers and students is on its way to Joe Wright Elementary School.
With shovels in hand, school leaders broke ground Tuesday on the new Joe Wright, which is being built at the corner of U.S. Highway 175 and Pineda Street.
Once completed, Joe Wright will be more than 85,000 square feet and cost about $16.5 million. The goal for occupancy is August 2012.
Many groups were recognized during the groundbreaking, including former trustees, school leaders, city officials, campus personnel, construction representatives and members of the district’s facility planning committee, which, along with a group of residents called Vote Yes 4 Kids, supported the bond election that helped fund the new facility.
Joe Wright Principal Brad Stewart also addressed the crowd.
“It is truly a great honor to be part of the ceremony,” he told attendees.
He said he spent five minutes talking to a first grade student about the designs for the new school, and the student later came back to him and asked what was taking so long.
“I think that just speaks to the enthusiasm our kids have (about the new school), (and) that to me is what it’s all about,” Stewart said.
Joe Wright Principal Brad Stewart also addressed the crowd.
“It is truly a great honor to be part of the ceremony,” he told attendees.
He said he spent five minutes talking to a first grade student about the designs for the new school, and the student later came back to him and asked what was taking so long.
“I think that just speaks to the enthusiasm our kids have (about the new school), (and) that to me is what it’s all about,” Stewart said.
He said he can’t wait to see the students’ faces when they see the new facility for the first time.
Holly Decker, who retired last year after teaching at Joe Wright for 25 years, said the thought of having the new school is “an unbelievable feeling.”
“It just means the groundbreaking like this is opening a whole new door. … This will be a phenomenal experience for them (students),” she said.
“For these kids to be able to walk into a brand new facility is going to give them a self-esteem (boost) and pride for their school.”
She said having large classrooms and a new facility also will be great for staff.
The district has tried to keep the facility updated, she said, but it has been difficult.
Holly Decker, who retired last year after teaching at Joe Wright for 25 years, said the thought of having the new school is “an unbelievable feeling.”
“It just means the groundbreaking like this is opening a whole new door. … This will be a phenomenal experience for them (students),” she said.
“For these kids to be able to walk into a brand new facility is going to give them a self-esteem (boost) and pride for their school.”
She said having large classrooms and a new facility also will be great for staff.
The district has tried to keep the facility updated, she said, but it has been difficult.
With the new building, restrooms will not have to be shared by as many children, and teachers will be able to more easily access technology in classrooms.
“These types of things are going to make the entire atmosphere a great place to work,” Ms. Decker said.
Joe Wright instructional strategist Monica Gaskin echoed Ms. Decker, saying that the school has faculty and staff with great ideas and innovative thoughts, which they will be able to do more with at a new facility.
The new school will have classrooms with sinks, she said, along with more lab space and easier capability to hang things on walls. She said the new cafeteria also will give students a place to have assemblies, which they don’t have at the current school.
“These types of things are going to make the entire atmosphere a great place to work,” Ms. Decker said.
Joe Wright instructional strategist Monica Gaskin echoed Ms. Decker, saying that the school has faculty and staff with great ideas and innovative thoughts, which they will be able to do more with at a new facility.
The new school will have classrooms with sinks, she said, along with more lab space and easier capability to hang things on walls. She said the new cafeteria also will give students a place to have assemblies, which they don’t have at the current school.
“It’s really going to make things much better for us,” Ms. Gaskin said.
Joe Wright, along with a new East Side Elementary School, is being built as part of Jacksonville ISD’s nearly $50 million bond package. The bond, which voters approved in November, also includes a new cafeteria, additional classrooms and an expanded library for Fred Douglass Elementary School as well as a new cafeteria and cafeteria building, an academic wing with eight science labs and hallways to connect to the main building at Jacksonville High School.
East Side and Joe Wright are slated to have a gymnasium and an estimated 36 classrooms each — enough space to house between 700 and 750 students.
Designs for Joe Wright show a split-level type campus with core facilities, a stair tower and classrooms for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-graders at street level.
Jeff Edwards, with Claycomb Associates Architects, said in February that Joe Wright will have the same configuration as East Side with many of its spaces.
However, there will be half a flight of stairs leading down to the media center, and windows in the school commons will look down on a hillside, he has said.
All bond projects have an estimated completion date of August 2012. A groundbreaking for the new East Side was held Monday.
Joe Wright, along with a new East Side Elementary School, is being built as part of Jacksonville ISD’s nearly $50 million bond package. The bond, which voters approved in November, also includes a new cafeteria, additional classrooms and an expanded library for Fred Douglass Elementary School as well as a new cafeteria and cafeteria building, an academic wing with eight science labs and hallways to connect to the main building at Jacksonville High School.
East Side and Joe Wright are slated to have a gymnasium and an estimated 36 classrooms each — enough space to house between 700 and 750 students.
Designs for Joe Wright show a split-level type campus with core facilities, a stair tower and classrooms for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-graders at street level.
Jeff Edwards, with Claycomb Associates Architects, said in February that Joe Wright will have the same configuration as East Side with many of its spaces.
However, there will be half a flight of stairs leading down to the media center, and windows in the school commons will look down on a hillside, he has said.
All bond projects have an estimated completion date of August 2012. A groundbreaking for the new East Side was held Monday.
