From staff reports
TRUSSVILLE –Members of the Trussville City Schools board toured all three elementary schools on Monday. They viewed the construction progress at each facility and received an update from architects.
Board member Sid McNeal said he was pleased with the projects and what they would mean for students in Trussville.
“Trussville is taking its already excellent elementary school experience for students to new levels,” McNeal said. “And once our construction efforts at all three sites are completed, we will have the best facilities in the state for our kids.”
At Paine, board members saw the progress on the hardened room under construction in the courtyard. The new room will connect to both wings of the building.
Both new schools, Cahaba and Magnolia, also have hardened rooms which is now a state requirement. The rooms are reinforced to sustain winds equivalent of an F4 tornado. The Paine room is constructed of rebar reinforced concrete blocks which are then filled with cement.
At Paine, the outdoor classroom will remain and there will be a large courtyard behind the building adjoining the outdoor amphitheater. There will be a traffic circle in front of the addition.
Board members also toured classrooms, lunchrooms, libraries and an outdoor garden where they observed teachers and students going about their typical school day.
One of the more interesting aspects of the tour was the Paine gymnasium where physical education teachers have created an elementary fitness center in the balcony. The area consisted of multiple steppers, stationary bikes and video fitness games. The addition allows more students to participate in activities while teachers work with a second group on the gym floor.
Architects told board members that both Magnolia and Cahaba elementary schools were on schedule to open in the Fall of 2016 as planned.
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Charles Owen Trotter
Tonia Trotter