Jefferson Project Ahead Of ScheduleWINONA LAKE - Jefferson Elementary wasn't supposed to get use of the new kitchen, cafeteria and stage addition until sometime in January.
Students had been eating their lunches in the classrooms, and lunches were trucked in to the school.
However, project contractor James S. Jackson Co. handed the keys for the cafeteria and kitchen over Monday, a full 1-1/2 months ahead of schedule.
Work on the two-story section and the existing addition continues. The school renovation and expansion work will be completed in time for the 2010-2011 school year.Tuesday, Principal Dennis Duncan and the school celebrated the "grand opening" of the new cafeteria and kitchen area with a Thanksgiving meal. The lunch included turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, a roll with butter, peaches, dessert and apple juice and/or milk.
The PTO decorated the cafeteria with deep blue and yellow balloons and napkins, and students got to use real tableware. The decorations matched the colors of the floor pattern and stage curtains.
"It's very spacey, which is nice and big," said sixth-grader Lucas Cone of the new cafeteria. "I like the flooring, it's very cool. I like the way there's going to be two lines. The windows are cool. It seems like they have a lot of space to cook the food back there."
The one thing Cone was disappointed about was that he'd be going to middle school next year.
Warsaw Schools Food Service Administrative Assistant Shirley Swartz said, "I think it's great. The equipment is first class. Very easy to use. All the new schools will be very similar, like this. It'll make everyone's job easier. We can train everyone on the same things."
Asked how the addition was completed so quickly, Mick Jackson, project manager for James S. Jackson Co., said, "We had a lot of good subcontractors. They were the key."
If there was a problem, it was quickly figured out and solved, he said. One ongoing problem was that Jefferson is still being used as the construction continues.
"Mr. Duncan has been great to work with. The architects have been great to work with," Jackson said. The teachers also have been very understanding and committed, he said.
Jefferson was slated to be finished in 16 months. Jackson said he thinks they can finish it in 13 to 14 months.
"I think it can happen," Jackson said. "I really do. Things seem to be falling into place."
Jamie Lake, of Kovert Hawkins, the architectural firm for the projects, provided a tour of the completed addition and the work in progress.
"For the most part, it's done, it's completely operable," Lake said of the cafeteria addition. There is some minor items left to be completed, like the stage sound system and the flooring in the corridor, but otherwise it's ready.
The large windows in the cafeteria will look out to the playground. Students can exit out to the playground once the playground is completed.
To the left of the stage is a door that leads to the utility room and control room. The lighting will be on censor switches, and the area behind the stage is handicapped accessible. The walkway behind the stage goes all the way around the stage to the other side. Behind there are also boys and girls dressing rooms. The stage area will have a full sound system.
Depending on arrangement, Lake said the cafeteria can seat at least 350 students. New furniture for the cafeteria won't arrive until the summer.
The kitchen is organized so students will have two serving lines. There will be a central cashier to make the food lines go faster and easier.
The kitchen will have a dish wash, which Jefferson hadn't had before the new addition.
In the kitchen, there is modern equipment in the cooking area. There's Combi-ovens for healthy cooking, and heated and refrigerated pass-throughs to keep the food delivery system going. Lake said there's two of everything in the kitchen to keep it efficient.
To the left of the kitchen is a delivery area and a kitchen office. Next to the office is a walk-in cooler and freezer.
Across from the cooler is a dry storage room for foods, utensils and pans. Across from the freezer is a staff support area.
The construction project is broken into four areas. The cafeteria and kitchen is Area C. The gym is area A, the existing building is B and the two-story area is Area D.
Jefferson, when completed, will be a three-section school, Lake said. It also will include all Warsaw Community Schools' severely disabled students. Area D will include large rooms for them to meet their needs.
