District anticipates moving into Roosevelt Elementary School addition in November

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Students at Roosevelt Elementary School will have to wait slightly longer to move into the school's expansion.

Hays USD 489 Superintendent Ron Wilson told school board members during a tour on Aug. 5 that work on the Roosevelt expansion will not be finished until November.

The temporary classrooms that were housing some classes had to be removed this summer to construct a pickup and drop-off drive for the school.

The new addition as seen from Macarthur Road. The entrance to the far right is to the new media center. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Wilson said the school would do its best with its space until the new classrooms, which would house fourth- and fifth-graders, become available.

School board members and members of the public toured both the renovated areas and the addition of the school on Aug. 5.

The work is part of a $143 million bond project. Roosevelt will be the first construction project to be finished under the bond. Work is ongoing at the new Hays High School site.

The new media center at Roosevelt Elementary School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

A courtyard at Roosevelt Elementary School, which can be used for outdoor learning, leads from the media center to the playground. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — A courtyard at Roosevelt Elementary School, which can be used for outdoor learning, leads from the media center to the playground. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Roosevelt Elementary School has a new gym as part of its expansion and renovation. Roosevelt had been using the same room for its gym, cafeteria and auditorium. The stage was saved in the old gym. The addition of a separate gym will allow the staff to have more freedom in scheduling gym classes and other activities in both spaces. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

The new gym can be closed off from the rest of the school, which will make it easier for outside community groups to use the facility outside of school hours while maintaining security for the rest of the building, Wilson said.

The new classrooms in Roosevelt Elementary School will house fourth- and fifth-grade students. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — The new classrooms in Roosevelt Elementary School will house fourth- and fifth-grade students. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Although there will be no lockers in the new high school, lockers will be added to the elementary school.

A STEM teacher has been added at each elementary school. Roosevelt will now have a classroom dedicated to STEM classes.

This is a collaboration space that teachers can schedule for hands-on projects for students. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Rooms in the existing wings of Roosevelt Elementary School were remodeled, including new carpet and lights. This is one of the STAR special education rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

A new drive for pick up and drop off is located behind Roosevelt Elementary School. There will continue to be drop off and pick up in front of the school. You can see the new addition to the school in the distance. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Because of construction, there will be no soccer fields at the school at the beginning of the school year.

Locker rooms that were not being used were removed, and those spaces were remodeled into storage areas.

Bathrooms in the existing space were also remodeled.