Mariemont City Schools are busy with several development projects, including building a brand new junior high school and updating two elementary schools that are scheduled for completion by August 2012. Groundbreaking for the new Mariemont Junior High School began a few weeks ago at the former Fairfax Elementary school site.
The new junior high will provide an up-to-date, hi-tech gathering place for students and residents. The community will have access to the school's new gym, media center, and commons area for gatherings. The goal is to not only serve students but the community at large, according to Kathy Ryan, Program Manager for
Mariemont City Schools.
Construction of the building will follow LEED certified standards with the goal of achieving silver or gold certification. Some of the green attributes will include the use of sensored lighting, geothermal heating and cooling, and green materials. The building will take advantage of natural lighting from the windows by placing skylights in the gym with baffles to redirect light. If it is a bright day, the lights will be dimmed in order to conserve energy.
"It is important to design a LEED certified building," Ryan explained. "The school sets a good example for the kids as they learn about geothermal energy and how lighting works. It will be a living building that exemplifies what we are teaching. Everything we are looking at is for the future."
One of the important aspects of the new school includes upgraded technology to teach students the necessary life skills to survive in a working environment outside of the classroom. Classrooms will have docking stations where students can work with their laptops in a group and the library will have small rooms where students can do video presentations.
"We're including things that help evolve the life skills of a student by using technology. We follow what Fortune 500 companies say needs to be taught to produce a well-rounded student including being creative, thinking outside the box, knowing technology, and taking risks," Ryan said.
The new junior high will be a huge plus for Mariemont, but Ryan said it will also set a great example for other schools.
"Schools will want to come and see what we've done, just as we've visited other schools to see what is working well. We've put a tremendous amount of time in studying things, getting opinions from the experts, and talking to the community and we hope that everyone felt heard in the process."
Writer: Lisa Ensminger
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