By ROBYN L. MINOR, The Daily News, rminor@bgdailynews.com/783-3249
With 24 basketball hoops, a 750-seat auditorium, two cafeterias, two libraries, dozens of classrooms, multiple labs, offices and a shared kitchen, the 7.5 acres under roof that is South Warren Middle and High School is gargantuan.
“It’s big,” was a proclamation made over and over by some of the Drakes Creek Middle School students who toured the new schools Thursday.
“Wow, this is like a Barnes & Noble,” 14-year-old Will Carter said as he walked into the two-story tall high school library.
Light streamed in the two-story Palladian-topped windows, washing across the light blue and tan walls, a color scheme used throughout the schools.
The center of the room features a gazebo-type structure where books will be checked out, and it will be flanked by computers.
Will said the room is pleasant and where he will be able to get lots of work done.
As a rising freshman, Will said he is looking forward to participating in sports at the school.
Evan Poff, 13, was snapping pictures at nearly every turn in the tour.
“Right now, they are just pictures,” Evan said, but he expects they will be used for something later. “They’ve done a wonderful job. You can really see the potential in such a huge space.”
Even the lockers are bigger than what students normally expect.
“They are wider,” Cook said, while a handful of students opened a locker to see what they might be able to get in there.
“You can actually get your coat in there and it won’t be all smashed up,” he said.
Cook showed the students the foam board that was used to help build the walls of the $64-million school. Concrete is poured in between the foam board forms and reinforced with steel, giving the building an insulating factor well above standard insulation.
“This is the largest ICF building in North America,” he told the students while holding up a piece of the building material.
All around the building, which is being built by D.W. Wilburn of Lexington, backup beeps for equipment could be heard; the hallways were stacked with piles of large ceiling tiles and workers circulated around.
Wearing hard hats, Cook cautioned the students not to trip over anything as work was still very much under way in all areas.
“The classroom areas are more complete,” he said.
The high school portion will have 65 classrooms, while the middle school will have 48.
Thirteen-year-old Chandler Odom hopes to be a cheerleader at the school. Chandler also was in awe of the size of the building and was taking pictures.
“I’m really excited,” she said.
Cook told the students that at first they might be overwhelmed by the school’s size, but he assured them that the classroom end of the building, which includes a first and second story, would be easy to maneuver after a few days.
Middle School Principal Eddy Bushelman ushered the younger children through the middle school end of the building, which essentially mirrored the high school, only on a smaller scale. Combined, the buildings total 320,000 square feet, about the size of two Walmart stores.
The middle school is suited for 450 students while the high school can hold up to 800 students.
“We are expecting about 750 students the first year, depending on the number of seniors who elect to go to the school,” Cook said.
Cook said he predicts once students have had time in the new school and word gets around about all it has to offer, others will want to come there, even prompting some parents to build or move into the school district.
That’s why the school won’t be filled to capacity at first.
“Three years down the road, we didn’t want to be in the same situation we are in at other schools,” he said.
Cook and Bushelman are in the process of hiring teachers for the new school; about one-third to one-half will be new teachers. Parts of the building will be ready for occupancy in late April or May. Classes are scheduled to begin in August.
Also getting a look at the school Thursday were Natcher Elementary School students who will attend there. Today, students from Rockfield, Plano and Rich Pond Elementary schools and Moss Middle School will take the tour.
