Add as a preferred source on Google

West Virginia Elementary School to Re-Open 8 Years After Destruction

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/23/24

The new building for Clendenin Elementary School in Clendenin, W.Va., is set to open its doors to students this fall, eight years after the school was destroyed during a 2016 flood along the Elk River, according to local news. Construction began three years ago but was placed on an early hiatus after the discovery of pyritic sulfur in the soil. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is finally scheduled for August 15, WSAZ reports.

Classrooms have been reimagined as Exploratorium spaces, which will help prompt project-based and hands-on learning. Each grade will be assigned one large room divided into multiple sections. Each Exploratorium has its own restrooms, teacher’s office, and main learning area for desks and student learning. The Exploratoriums are about two to three times as large as a standard elementary-school classroom, according to local news.

“I think the Exploratoriums are where kids can work separately but then they can also work in groups. That’s what industry tells us now, they need kids to be able to work in teams and get along well with others,” said Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Tom Williams. “What better way to learn that than in elementary school?”

The school’s new location will also provide the opportunity for outdoor learning environments, local news reports.

“This is absolutely a beautiful location,” said Williams. “Kids are going to be able to get outside and play. The art classes, the music classes, those types will be able to get outside. We have reading nooks all over the place where kids can sit and read.”

Kanawha County facilities planning executive director Andrew Crawford explained the school’s design—particularly the Exploratorium concept—as a blend of old and new learning styles.

“It’s kind of like an homage to the one-room schoolhouse,” Crawford said. “Everybody in that grade level will be in that pod. There will be breakout areas for individual or smaller group sessions of learning, but it also creates a team cooperative learning experience that maybe we didn’t get growing up.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition