Red Pump school construction nearly complete

From the open lobby to the large gymnasium, the new Red Pump Elementary School building is a sight to behold.

Every detail was considered in the construction process, from the multi-colored block wall that flows from the outside entrance, through the lobby and to the color-coded wings.

Construction is nearing completion on the $31.5 million school off Vale and Red Pump roads north of Bel Air, and the new building is on schedule to open for students when the 2011-12 school year begins next month.

The central lobby, cafeteria and gymnasium all feature red paint, from the walls to the entrance archway, to designate them as common areas.

Blue is for kindergarten, Principal Blaine Hawley said on a tour of the new school Tuesday morning, and pre-kindergarten, which the school doesn't have this upcoming year, but will have in the future. The kindergarten wing features blue carpeting, partially blue walls and, like all wings, a spacious common area, though not as large as the two other sections.

The blue carpet, she added, was more like flooring and easy to work with.

"Cleanup is great," Hawley said.

Like most kindergarten classrooms, this one features the alphabet letters on the floor, but as built-in carpet, not a detachable rug.

The purple wing is for primary students, in first through third grade. Having to support the most grade levels, this wing features the largest common area of the three wings.

Primary classrooms, like those for kindergarten, will also have their own bathrooms and visible cubbies. Every wing also features satellite clocks in the hallways, which sync nightly to provide the most accurate time, as well as a teacher planning room.

The teacher planning rooms were one of many thoughtful design features in the building, which includes a designated volunteer room, according to Hawley.

"It gives parents a place to go," she said.

The green wing is for intermediate students in fourth and fifth grade. That section in particular will have built-in shelves by the common area to house instruments and also has a separate "locker" area in each classroom.

Having a locker was important to the students she encountered during assemblies, Hawley said, so she started calling the larger cubbies as "lockers without doors."

The outdoor area is expansive as well, with an outdoor classroom, three age-appropriate playgrounds and fields provided by the county's parks and recreation department.

Many of those fields need to sit for a year prior to being used, but Hawley did say they have access to a blacktop area as well as three mini pools that could be good for environmental science lessons.

And the little things, too, Hawley said, will register the most on a teacher's radar, like the safety piece over door hinges to prevent pinched fingers and visible cubby areas where children can't hide.

The main office, too, was designed with the safety of students in mind. After arrival time, the main doors to the school are locked and any visitors have to enter through the office.

"This is such a great set-up in terms of security," Hawley said.

All that's left is the "punch list," according to school system Manager of Communications Teri Kranefeld.

The architect creates the list, Kranefeld wrote in an e-mail, from walking through the building and seeing the various things that need to be fixed, like a damaged ceiling tile or paint touch-up.

In the case of Red Pump, several walls still had pieces of blue painters tape, which Hawley said were on the punch list, and some door frames had yet to be completed.

Almost all of the staff has been hired, too, Kranefeld wrote, except for some support staff. This includes three administrators; two secretaries; one nurse, who Hawley said will be excited for the spacious health suite; 47 instructional staff and more, according to Kranefeld. The original budget request for staff, Kranefeld said, was at almost $2.7 million, but in April, board members reduced that by nearly $1.5 million, bringing it to $1.2 million total.

The construction budget, on the other hand, was $31.5 million.

The building received its use and occupancy permit from the county already, according to Chief of Administration Joseph Licata, and is wrapping up with furniture placement and testing equipment.

"By the time school opens in August, most of those things will be complete so that the students and teachers can teach and learn," he said.

The opening of Red Pump, too, is an integral part of the elementary school redistricting plan that was passed by the board of education earlier this year. Not only will the new school help with extra capacity, Licata said, but the community also "got a high-tech building to boot."

The new school does certainly boast some technology, including smart boards in every classroom. These newer smart boards will allow two students to work on them at the same time, one with the pen and the other using the touch screen.

"It really is very engaging," Hawley said. "The teachers coming here are just so excited."

All the classrooms have four student computers as well, Hawley said, in addition to a tiered seating computer lab, television studio, fully stocked media center and spacious music and art rooms.

The studio held particular excitement for many of the students Hawley encountered during her assemblies at the four elementary schools that will lose students to Red Pump.

"The technology is amazing," Hawley said.

The art room features a kiln, sturdy science tables and access to a display case. The two music rooms are split to accommodate instrumental and vocal music, with the vocal one offering instant recording and playback with speakers and microphones hanging from the ceiling.

The school also has two classroom support program, or CSP, rooms, for future autism or other special programs it may house.

The sound system throughout the building, coupled with the large televisions, will help with morning announcements and also allow them to play music as the students enter the building, according to Hawley.

"It's that type of opportunity we have to make it good for the kids," she said

With the opening date inching closer and teachers able to move in in late July, the final pieces of Red Pump are coming together. Already, Hawley said, neighbors and parents have asked about volunteering in the school, even those nearby who don't have any children or grandchildren.

Once it's open to the public, too, there will be more people interested in touring the school, but Hawley doesn't mind, joking about how her brief tour with the Parent-Teacher Association turned into a full-length one.

"It's fun to show it off," she said of the new building. "It's a great place, it really is."

"It truly was designed with children in mind."