HISTORIC DAY The New Lothrop community celebrated a historic day with the dedication of its new $8.3 million elementary facility this past Thursday. Shown in the photo at right cutting the ceremonial ribbon are, from left, Wakely Associates Architect Don Haeger, New Lothrop Area Public Schools Board of Education members Joe Vinke, Ernie Brown, Rich White, Board President Rob Warner, School Superintendent John Strycker, Elementary Principal Dave Harnish, Chip Hendrick of RC Hendrick, and board members Laura Birchmeier and Curt Bitterman. In the photo below Kindergarten student Brianna Kline shows her bright new locker to her grandmother Jeanie Grant during the public open house held following the dedication ceremony. (TCC Photos by Deb Miller)

It's just the New Lothrop way. And the school district, along with the entire community, now has one more victory to add to the long list of accomplishments that has made the highest quality in everything they do a theme for New Lothrop Schools. Marking a historic day in the story of this small village that is surrounded by not much more than farm land, the community this past Thursday held a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the district's first-ever new facility built specifically for elementary use. "Thank you for joining us today as we mark this historic day for New Lothrop Area Public Schools with the dedication of our first-ever new elementary school," stated School Superintendent John Strycker as he addressed the gathering in the new school's cafeteria. "Just over two years ago we embarked upon a huge undertaking of upgrading our facilities for the students we love and we have definitely completed it the New Lothrop way!," he stated. "With a state high yes vote for our bond, and completion in under a year-and-a-half, this project is just one more example regarding the name of the very drive that leads to the schoolä.Championship Drive!" Strycker thanked the entire community for showing their support of the youth of New Lothrop through their work on the bond committee, their ballots at the poles, the tireless effort of everyone involved from the planning stages through completion, and continued support of the project. "I want to thank the entire New Lothrop community. It is impossible to measure the impact this accomplishment will have on generations to come but you demonstrated your love of this community and its youth by support of this project," Strycker said. In closing, Strycker reminded the community and the students to "Take time to stop and smell the roses, take this day in, for it is a day you will remember for the rest of your lives." The project is the result of a $16.28 million bond which passed with unprecedented support, a state record high yes vote of 76%, in November of 2005. The bond included the building of a new $8.3 million elementary facility, along with improvements to the high school, and the construction of a bus garage. The district broke ground for the new building on May 2, 2006 and just under a year-and-a-half later, on Thursday, September 27, 2007, Strycker again addressed a crowd of students, staff, and community members on that very same spot of ground, only this time the group was inside the completed state-of-the-art facility. "The community of New Lothrop should be proud of what it has accomplished," stated Board of Education President Rob Warner as he addressed Thursday's gathering. "And luck has nothing to do with the good things that we have here in New Lothrop. Luck has nothing to do with why our students consistently out perform neighboring schools and state averages academically and consistently out perform the competition in extracurricular activities like athletics, Odyssey of the Mind, and FFA, or why families who do not live in the district send their children here. And luck has nothing to with the fact that we can name our road Championship Drive. It is the preparation and continued hard work of a dedicated community," Warner stated. The 72,000 square foot, K-6 building, which also houses the district's preschool and latchkey programs, is a completely ADA compliant facility that is a unique, custom designed building with a small town village theme. Peaked architecture over the doorways and in the halls, along with a center line dividing the "roadway" of the corridors, are just a few of the design features that give the inside of the building a cozy, hometown feel. Overall design of the entire facility, inside and out, is focused on the protection of the students with parking, traffic flow, walking paths, entrances, and every aspect of layout specifically designed with safety in mind. Parking lots have been located to ensure students do not come into contact with moving traffic, and a buses only area along the sidewalk that leads to the main entrance allows students access to buses without having to encounter any traffic. The building has many other safety features including a window that allows the principal to see the front area of the building from his office. The grade level specific design of the facility features three classroom wings.

The K-2 wing has twelve classrooms with restrooms within the rooms. The third and fourth grade wing has six classrooms with restrooms located in a center island. The fifth and sixth grade wing has seven classrooms with restrooms located in the hallway. The fifth and sixth grade wing also includes a separate room for the new science lab which all teachers within the building can utilize making more advanced science projects possible with a larger amount, and higher quality, of science materials available at hand. Each classroom is equipped with the latest in technology including projectors that can project videos, DVDs, cable TV, or lessons from a teacher's computer, to a large screen on the wall. A main command center for all of the equipment is located in a locked cabinet. A 33 station computer lab with state-of-the-art HP computers with flat panel monitors is located next to the new media center. The shared community/school media center/library has an additional entrance off the front of the building allowing it to remain open to the public when the school is locked. The 108-foot by 100-foot gymnasium boasts the choice between a full size regulation basketball court with room for the full bleachers to be utilized, or the pulling of a center curtain to create two full size regulation courts. Other features of the building include an automatic, motion sensitive lighting system throughout with lights that turn off automatically if a room is not in use and turn on when motion is detected, a full function, modern kitchen with walk-in cooler, and a dual purpose stage that has retractable walls allowing it to be used from the gymnasium on one side or the cafeteria on the other side. The new school is located at 9387 Genesee Street, directly behind (north of) the site of the old elementary school. The bond also included $4.4 million in renovations to the high school including a new roof, a new heating and cooling system, technology upgrades, and resurfacing of the track and tennis courts, along with a stand alone bus garage.