Have You Ever Remodeleded? If so, you can imagine what it will be like for Horace Mann this spring. We are going to remodel portions of the first floor to create a more secure, welcoming entry to the school and to add some space. In early April, we will move everything out of the office, nurse’s office, conference room, work room, social worker’s office, and the PTA storage. Starting May 4, the entire office complex will be closed. Workers will demolish and then begin rebuilding. Starting May 18, the computer lab will be closed and moved. After June 11, demolition and construction of the new entry and office will begin. I will work with the architects and contractors to ensure minimal disruption to the students and school. Construction traffic within the building will be limited to before or after school. The project is scheduled for substantial completion by the first week of August.

The project means some changes for the last month. The red doors on Eleanor will be closed for a construction entrance, but still available for emergency exit. The old entry on Eleanor will become the main entry with Kenneth as an alternative for handicapped accessibility. The office will be located in the Teacher Book Room (across from the Speech classrooms and next to the boy’s bathroom on 1^st floor east. The social worker will work from the Discovery Club baseroom in the library. The workroom and copiers will be located in the Special Education classroom right by the red Eleanor doors. The nurse will work out of the ELL classroom next to Liz Aase’s classroom. I will be mobile for the last month, working from classrooms, hallways, and the office.

You can take a look at the online article of the News/Calendar section to see diagrams and pictures of the project. The office area will turn into a new computer lab, an updated conference room, and either a G/T classroom or the Discovery Club baseroom. Part of our lobby, the PTA closet, and the boy’s bathroom will become the new office, work room, and nurse’s office. The computer lab will be turned into a hallway to the library, a boy’s bathroom, the social worker’s office, and a storage area. The Discovery Club baseroom will be turned into a Family/Community Involvement room with storage for the PTA and a welcoming and useful environment for volunteers.