Lincoln Excited About New Building, Says Good-Bye To Old
December 23, 2016 at 5:22 p.m.
By Michael [email protected]
When the students return from Christmas break, they will pack up their stuff and walk over to the new adjacent school.
Lincoln was built in 1957 and had become outdated in many ways, according to Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert.
About 500 students attend the school.
The school is one of the oldest buildings in the district. Washington STEM Academy was built around the same time, but has had major renovations, Hoffert said.
“A lot has changed since 1957,” he said.
Among the problems, the older building was unable to accommodate new technology.
A lack of space caused some teachers to convert closet space into teaching areas, Hoffert said.
The building also had plumbing and electric issues over the years. A few years ago, a ceiling tile fell and hit a teacher on the head.
But overall, the building was outdated and incapable of meeting the needs that are standard in other schools.
“The biggest problem has been trying to fit new technology into this building,” said Scott Sterk, a sixth-grade teacher.
Despite the physical pitfalls of the building, Lincoln has always excelled academically with high ISTEP scores.
“The building is not the education,” Hoffert said.
It didn’t make sense to renovate the school, he said. The best financial option was to construct a new building.
The new facility is just west of the old school and cost roughly $19 million to construct, Hoffert said.
The project was part of the $39 million referendum approved by voters in 2015.
Remaining money from the referendum was used for renovations at Washington and Edgewood Middle Elementary. Those projects are completed.
The new Lincoln will be home to a science, technology,?engineering and math lab.
“We are so grateful to the community for allowing us to do this,” Hoffert said.
Cathy Synder, Lincoln principal, said she was especially looking forward to the STEM lab.
“The new school is gorgeous,” she said.
Sarah Garcia, the school nurse, said she was excited to move into where she would have more space in which to work.
Many students were excited about starting the new year at a new school.
Seconder-grader Mac Tucker said he was excited about the new school’s bigger gym.
For students who had been in the old building a long time, the move is bittersweet.
Lenoire Prieshooff, a sixth-grader, has attended the school since kindergarten.
She said she understood the new school is better and safer, but she’ll miss the building she spent so much time in.
“I’ve have a lot of memories here,” she said.
Before the old building is torn down, an open house will be held for those who want one last look.
As with WCS tradition, bricks from the school will be made available to students and those with memories of Lincoln, Hoffert said.
There is no date yet for demolishing the old structure, but after it is torn down, the area will be converted into a parking lot, driveway and playground.
When the students return from Christmas break, they will pack up their stuff and walk over to the new adjacent school.
Lincoln was built in 1957 and had become outdated in many ways, according to Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert.
About 500 students attend the school.
The school is one of the oldest buildings in the district. Washington STEM Academy was built around the same time, but has had major renovations, Hoffert said.
“A lot has changed since 1957,” he said.
Among the problems, the older building was unable to accommodate new technology.
A lack of space caused some teachers to convert closet space into teaching areas, Hoffert said.
The building also had plumbing and electric issues over the years. A few years ago, a ceiling tile fell and hit a teacher on the head.
But overall, the building was outdated and incapable of meeting the needs that are standard in other schools.
“The biggest problem has been trying to fit new technology into this building,” said Scott Sterk, a sixth-grade teacher.
Despite the physical pitfalls of the building, Lincoln has always excelled academically with high ISTEP scores.
“The building is not the education,” Hoffert said.
It didn’t make sense to renovate the school, he said. The best financial option was to construct a new building.
The new facility is just west of the old school and cost roughly $19 million to construct, Hoffert said.
The project was part of the $39 million referendum approved by voters in 2015.
Remaining money from the referendum was used for renovations at Washington and Edgewood Middle Elementary. Those projects are completed.
The new Lincoln will be home to a science, technology,?engineering and math lab.
“We are so grateful to the community for allowing us to do this,” Hoffert said.
Cathy Synder, Lincoln principal, said she was especially looking forward to the STEM lab.
“The new school is gorgeous,” she said.
Sarah Garcia, the school nurse, said she was excited to move into where she would have more space in which to work.
Many students were excited about starting the new year at a new school.
Seconder-grader Mac Tucker said he was excited about the new school’s bigger gym.
For students who had been in the old building a long time, the move is bittersweet.
Lenoire Prieshooff, a sixth-grader, has attended the school since kindergarten.
She said she understood the new school is better and safer, but she’ll miss the building she spent so much time in.
“I’ve have a lot of memories here,” she said.
Before the old building is torn down, an open house will be held for those who want one last look.
As with WCS tradition, bricks from the school will be made available to students and those with memories of Lincoln, Hoffert said.
There is no date yet for demolishing the old structure, but after it is torn down, the area will be converted into a parking lot, driveway and playground.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092