THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511140278
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 188 lines
THURGOOD MARSHALL PRIMARY third-graders minced no words when asked to describe their new school building.
``The school is very big,'' wrote Brian Murrey.
``When I went into the new school, I was shocked,'' penned Jermaine Silver.
``It's so clean, bright and cheerful,'' said Cheri Mitchell.
``My school has a new gym, library, cafeteria and lots of bathrooms,'' said Donovan Epps.
``There's a computer, telephone and a water fountain in my room,'' said Treshawn Belfield.
``I love my new school,'' said Dominique Sims.
About 430 students and 70 faculty and staff members have unpacked books, decorated bulletin boards and learned their way around the wide, burgundy-striped hallways. They've settled into classrooms and offices at the Border Road School on the site of what once was Park Elementary and, before that, Riverdale School.
All the classes have decorated with ``Protect Our Environment'' and ``Chesapeake Reading Council'' posters.
There are artistic displays of turtles made from macaroni shells and pine cone turkeys. Sheets of writing skills and arithmetic lessons border the hallways. The new school and the 1995-1996 school year are well under way.
That was after a bit of a slow start. The new building was scheduled to be complete by the time school opened in September. But a few construction delays and some bad weather sent the children back to the old Truitt Middle school building, where they spent last year while construction was under way. They moved into the new building in mid-September.
Workers still are finishing last-minute tasks, such as staining the wooden gymnasium floor.
The year at Truitt ``was an interesting experience,'' said Principal Steve A. Lassiter. ``The blackboards, office counter, cafeteria counters, even the restrooms, were too high for our little people. Everything had to be lowered.''
The inconveniences were worth it. The new school is everything teachers and Lassiter hoped for.
``The building, with its advanced technology, computerized systems and complete security system is one of the most advanced primary schools anywhere in the state,'' said Thomas L. Baxter Jr., the school system's liaison with the architect and the general contractor.
Baxter said that Greenbrier, Butts Road and Great Bridge Intermediate Schools were built from the same plans, but Thurgood Marshall is slightly larger.
``We listened to suggestions, examined the needs and incorporated a few more ideas into this school,'' Baxter said.
Baxter pointed out the restrooms at the back of the stage, the power lift for wheelchairs and the computerized heat and air-conditioning system which will keep the building a comfortable 72 degrees year around. Everything in the building is accessible to the disabled.
The community also chose to christen their school with a new name. Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lassiter said he often went over to watch the new building progress. When it was ready, so were the teachers and children. They spent nearly a week in transition between Truitt and the new building.
Teachers packed up their supplies and decorated their new rooms in the evenings, after their regular teaching days at Truitt.
The children were excited to see their media center, music room, computer labs and classrooms.
They had to eat bag lunches for the first three weeks of classes, until the cafeteria was operational.
The lunch bags, amidst the modern marvels of the new school, were the only ties to the original Riverdale school of 50 years ago.
The Riverdale community was a military housing area in 1942. In 1943, four teachers and Principal C.W. Johnson opened the doors to a 13-room cinderblock school.
By 1945 there was a faculty of 15, and in 1947 the Norfolk County School Board leased 10 more portable housing units for classes.
The school became Park Elementary when it came into the Chesapeake School System system in 1963. Over the years, the school was remodeled to add offices, a larger cafeteria, clinic, library and connecting hallways.
But by 1993, it was time to start over with a new building.
In June 1994, after almost 50 years of service, Park Elementary was leveled and replaced with the new $8 million school. Gone is the barbed wire fence that was erected to protect the old building from burglaries.
The only standing connections to the past were the playground trees, which will be surrounded by new trees and shrubs.
``We have a lot of wonderful memories and many good times, but it was time to make a change,'' Lassiter said about tearing down the old building. ``It was a bittersweet moment. But we needed more space and advanced technology. It was time to move ahead.''
Lassiter has been principal since 1982. He taught science at Deep Creek Junior High, and later was assistant principal at both the Deep Creek Junior and Senior high schools.
``We are so excited,'' Lassiter said. ``We've never had a gym or a computer lab. The children always had physical education in their classrooms or in the hallways. We are even going to get a community recreation program here co-ordinated by the South Norfolk Community Center.''
Lassiter explained with a grin that there was one small charge for the community service program. In exchange for use of the gym, participants and staff of the recreation program have volunteered to tutor the Homework Club, a group of youngsters who meet with tutors three afternoons a week to review assignments.
Lassiter said he had seen more parental involvement, fewer behavioral problems and better attendance since the new building opened.
Community support has also been strong. McDonald's, First Union Bank, Virginia Power and Wal-Mart have provided incentives and awards to encourage the children to stay involved with their lessons. About 20 First Union Bank employees have also offered to help with the Homework Club.
``Just look at all my beautiful space,'' said guidance counselor Avelyn M. Chambers.
For years her office had been a 10- by 8-foot windowless space, she explained, showing off her waiting area, conference room and office, complete with windows.
``Now we can do group activities and have conferences and workshops,'' Chambers said.
``I just never imagined anything like this,'' said Joan Williams, who has taught at Park Elementary for 30 years.
She and her third-graders proudly surveyed their carpeted classroom. There's a sink and a water fountain in the corner, a telephone, storage closets, file cabinets and new chairs and desks.
Williams said the carpeted floors reduce the noise level. If she has questions for the office or needs to talk to a parent about a homework assignment, the phone is nearby.
``And just look at all the outlets,'' Williams added. ``No more extension cords everywhere.''
Kindergarten teacher Jean H. Becket said her students ``can't wait to use the school library. Isn't it great that they are excited about reading?''
``We have new books in our library,'' wrote third-grader Jackie Hall.
``We have animal books and big dictionaries,'' bragged third-grader Keith Sturdevant.
Round tables, couches, a rocking chair, bright books, stuffed animals, videos, magazines and audio-visual equipment entice the youngsters to learn.
There are carousels of books, shelves of stories and racks of career adventures. The furniture is scaled to the size of the young readers, and clowns and panda bears hang over the shelves as if to point to an exciting adventure.
Computer teacher Sherry V. Boyd couldn't wait to show off the computer lab.
Each class gets a weekly visit to the lab. Reading, math, geography, spelling and science games are designed to support and reinforce regular class work.
``The children think they are playing as they learn to pronounce words, listen to stories, count money and tell time,'' Boyd said.
There are a few things left to be done. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the gym doors to swing open next week and for the first basketballs to be thrown out.
Baxter said one of the final steps will be to hold a training seminar to instruct the staff on fire alarms, stage lighting and mechanical devices.
``Our motto is `Ask for perfection. You may get it,' '' Baxter said as he looked around. ``I think we've got perfection at Thurgood Marshall.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
ON THE COVER
Dejuan Wilson, left, and Raymond Sanders, kindergartners, work on
computers in a new classroom at Thurgood Marshall Primary School.
Staff photos by MORT FRYMAN
Kindergartner Daryl Thorne Jr., left, gets the attention of teacher
Jean Becket. Ryan Rivers is at right.
Students at Thurgood Marshall Primary School head home on Friday
afternoon from their new school.
Joan Williams has been a teacher for 31 years.
Becky Strawhand is the reading resource teacher.
Holly Rhodes admires her perfect attendance award.
William Enwajei takes a minute to remember a spelling word.
Principal Steve Lassiter and Lynn Morton are settling into the new
main office.
Graphic
``Our New School''
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB