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Sycamore School had the good fortune to buy a single-story 1950’s public school building in 1996. It was good fortune not only because of the reasonable price, but because the building is very sturdy and because the classrooms are of unusual size, very large. The large classrooms fit the active style of instruction that our students need.
As soon as Sycamore School bought the campus, plans were drawn up for a long-range building program. In 1999-2000, expansion and modernization of the building began. A new wing was added for the Early Childhood division with even larger rooms, heated floors, and restrooms between pairs of classrooms for constant supervision by teachers. The Middle School wing was remodeled, and spaces were created for science, computers, math, humanities, art, music, and Spanish. The renovations addressed all of the school’s most pressing academic space needs, and it provided separate “homes” for each of the three divisions: Middle School, Lower School, and Early Childhood. The building was expanded from 56,000 to 73,000 square feet, and the campus was expanded from 14 to 16 acres.
In 2004-2005, the need for large public spaces gave rise to a new building program. It was supported by a capital campaign called “For Minds and Bodies,” reflecting the fact that there would be a new library and a new gym…for minds and bodies. The library will be heavily used, as always, containing traditional books and publications as well as computer access to the world. The new gym is nearly double size, with a full-size basketball court or two cross courts for practice and for physical education. The new gym has a floating maple wood floor that absorbs impact to protect young knees and shins. In addition, there is a new state-of-the-art theater with seats for 270, a completely renovated and modernized Lower School, a second lunchroom, an attractive new entrance, and expanded parking. The building is now 108,000 square feet in area.
In 2008 several projects on the grounds of the campus enhanced the school’s curricular and extra-curricular programming. An outdoor learning lab, consisting of several gardens, a pond and pavilion, was completed in the spring. The outdoor learning lab was the project funded through the 2007 Auction for Advancement “Fund-an-Item”. Then in late spring 2008, the Sycamore School community responded enthusiastically to a challenge grant, raising money for a newly graded, seeded and professionally irrigated soccer field and track which benefits Sycamore’s physical education and athletics programs. Construction was completed in the fall in time for the middle school’s track and field team activities.
All of these facilities were designed with the students in mind. The facilities are here to serve the educational, artistic, musical, dramatic, athletic, and social programs of the school, and they really do work. The school first developed great programs in very humble facilities. The great programs showed that the school is here to stay and that it needs excellent facilities. Now all of the pieces are in place. Come and see for yourself. |
