The new school will be open for the 2009-10 school year
NORTH PORT -- After receiving the green light to begin moving into the new Atwater Elementary School last week, principal Kirk Hutchinson started giving tours to incoming students and their parents this week, offering a first look at the city's fifth elementary school.
Hutchinson gave a presentation to the first group of registered parents and students before taking them on a short tour of the school. The presentation covered construction facts about the school, green features, and an overview of policies and procedures.
The school, although designed to accommodate nearly 1,000 students, will open in August with about 650. There will be five kindergarten classes, six sections of first, second and third grades, five fourth-grade classes, and four sections of fifth grade.
Hutchinson also told parents sidewalks will be installed along Atwater Street, Adderton Avenue, Acosta Avenue, Annie Lane, San Mateo Drive and Haberland Boulevard before school begins at the end of August.
"At this point, no sidewalks are planned to be installed along Price (Boulevard)." Hutchinson said.
He added, however, that busing will be provided for students who live on the opposite side of Price, as well as for children who would be walking along Price Boulevard.
While Hutchinson answered some final questions from parents, many of the children squirmed in their seats, eager to have a look around at their new school.
The audience was split in two, with Hutchinson taking one group and Dusty French, an administrative intern assigned to the school, guiding the other. Although not an assistant principal, French will handle many of the same responsibilities with which an assistant principal would typically deal.
The tour showed off the school cafeteria, the front office and clinic, the media center, the art, science and music rooms, as well as the guidance office, the computer lab, the bus loop, the PE area and playgrounds.
Several students who will be coming to Atwater from Toledo Blade Elementary School were very excited about the prospect of climbing up and down stairs to get to their classrooms. And just the fact there was an elevator in the building -- for the use of special needs students -- was cool to children on the tour, too.
Parents and students alike trailed after French down hallways with color-coded pillars. The pillars will help students learn their way around the school.
"I like the security of it, and the fact that it's green," said Joan Evilsiser, whose son Teddy, 7, will be entering second grade, and daughter Joanie, 5, will be a kindergartner at the new school.
Evilsiser said Teddy heard Hutchinson speak at Toledo Blade at the end of last school year about Atwater's features, including toilets that flush in two ways in order to conserve water.
"All we heard about was those toilets for three weeks," she said laughing. "He didn't want to stay at Toledo Blade."
Manuela and Ed Smith brought their sons Brian, an incoming fifth-grader, and Eric, an incoming second-grader, to have a look around the new school.
"We liked Toledo Blade, but I'm just amazed at the two-story building," Manuela said.
The family moved to North Port about four years ago. Ed said the design reminded him of schools up north.
"I used to drive by going to work every day, and I was amazed to see it going up," he said.
The walls of the $19.5 million school are made of poured concrete, rather than of concrete blocks. They were made in frames on the ground, then tilted into place. This makes them stronger. The school, which was built to withstand 180 mph winds, will serve both North Port and part of nearby Charlotte County in the event of a hurricane.
"We are actually operational now if we have to open as a shelter," Hutchinson said.
The school office is closed through July 29. Registration for kindergarten students will reopen July 30, and teachers will have their first full day of work on Aug. 5.
The school's Web site, www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/Atwater, includes information about school uniforms, a list of all the school's teachers and staff, newsletters with lists of FAQs, a calendar of upcoming events and more.
TAKE A TOUR
Atwater Elementary School has a number of tour dates and times available for families throughout the summer. Registration is required for the tours.
The 9 a.m. July 29 and 6 p.m. July 30 tours have the most space available. Families should call the school office to register for the tour, as space is limited for each date.
To register, call 941-257-2317.
E-mail: annek@sun-herald.com
By ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER
Staff Writer