EARLY LEARNING CAMPUS
CONSTRUCTION MOVING FORWARD ON SCHEDULE
On September 10, Awty Trustees, teachers, and families gathered to ceremonially break ground on the new Early Learning Campus being built at 1110 N. Post Oak Road.
At that time, even the most creative imaginations had difficulty envisioning the finished product, the conversion of an unremarkable office park into an unforgettable school facility for PK3/PS to 1st grade/CP. Now, the vision is becoming more real every day you drive to and from Awty!
The higher profile of the full-size gym is noticeable from the traffic light, the framed outlines of classrooms are taking shape, and large windows are being installed.
Carpool area with the gym and classrooms in the background
Don Davis ‘79, Director of Facilities and Construction, reports that favorable weather conditions have helped us stay on, or slightly ahead of, schedule this winter.
“You never know how the weather will turn out, but so far, these warmer and drier days have been welcomed,” stated Mr. Davis.
He reports that the playground area is now being laid out, and the synthetic soccer field will be installed in the next few months.
“With a renovation, you often encounter surprises that can slow down progress, and we had our share on the front end, but now JE Dunn is doing a very good job of keeping the subcontractors and vendors moving forward," added Mr. Davis. "They have been good to work with.”
Playground area being leveled
Over the last three weeks, Stan Way, Head of the Preschool, has hosted several meetings for parents, reporting on plans for the new campus and answering the many questions parents have had about carpool lanes, security, food service, room layouts, the addition of 1st grade/CP, and more.
“This is a big change for everyone — students, teachers, parents, vendors, and even the US Postal Service — and we are doing our best to anticipate all the possibilities we can imagine and make the transition as smooth as possible,” stated Mr. Way.
Like many of our parents, you may ask "why the name Early Learning Campus?".
“When we decided that the 1st grade/CP belonged there, it was no longer just a preschool," said Mr. Way. "It will be much more, with the academic focus of the older children setting a tone for the younger ones to absorb and adopt as they make the move to being the ‘big boys and girls’ on campus!”
A construction cam will be installed soon so you can observe the changes yourself. Watch for an announcement of this in an upcoming issue of the Awty Notes. You can also see photos of the progress by clicking here. New photos are added every month.
