Students Thank Voters for Their New Schools
After an exciting first school year in their new buildings, students at Valhalla and Panther Lake elementary schools want to say “thank you!” to the voters who supported their new schools.
“I love our new school!” said Valhalla student Fabiola Aispuro. “I like that there are more windows on the school. I also like the colors that they used because it makes the school stand out. This year we have more little areas in the hallway we can go to read in silence. But what I like most about our new school is the library. The structure is really unique and there are windows in the ceiling.”
In 2007, voters in the Federal Way Public Schools service area approved a $149 million bond construction package to rebuild old and deteriorating schools. Five schools and three district facilities are being rebuilt. The new Valhalla and Panther Lake elementary schools opened their doors in 2009. Lakota Middle School will open in 2010 and Lakeland and Sunnycrest elementary schools will follow in 2011.
All of the new schools make better use of natural light and include many of the same fun features that students like – such as bright colors and playful window arrangements. Students and teachers are more secure with entrances that can be monitored more effectively. And modern wiring and building designs allow for state of the art technology. Students also mentioned that they appreciated more efficient heating systems in their new schools. They no longer have to bundle up indoors to cope with ancient and unreliable furnaces.
"My favorite part of the new school is the library because there are a lot of books and we get to use the computers at recess sometimes and we can look up books on the computers. We had Battle of the Books there and sometimes the librarian reads us a story… That is why the library is my favorite part of the new school," said Panther Lake student Jainam Mehta.
The new schools are designed to incorporate the latest research into how children learn best. They accommodate new instructional techniques, such as multi-age groupings, looping, teacher collaboration and small learning communities. The buildings are also flexible so they can adapt to future instructional needs.
And the new buildings are more environmentally friendly than their predecessors. They are built according to Washington High Performance Standards for Green Schools. These standards address issues such as indoor air quality, water and energy use, site impacts and construction materials. Schools built according to green standards are linked to improvements in attendance and academic achievement.
“Another reason why I like the new building is because the ceiling is made of recycled blue jeans, I like it because it is better for the environment instead of using trees,” said Valhalla student Polly Tieu.
From the students and the staff at Federal Way Public Schools, thank you for supporting our students by voting to provide new schools. With this kind of community support, it is easy to see why Federal Way Public Schools are recognized as a leader in public education. We continue to raise expectations for all students and staff, and exceed them—improving academic outcomes and strengthening our teaching workforce. We do this together. As a community, we continue our relentless pursuit of an outstanding education for all students.
To learn more about the construction bond, view photos and read recent updates, visit http://www.fwps.org/info/bond/.
Posted: July 26, 2010