Published: July 10, 2009 01:47 pm      

GISD hosts open house at Gainesville Middle School

Boxes of trophies and books are stacked just inside the front doors of the newly renovated Gainesville Middle School (GMS). In fact, boxes are stacked everywhere inside the new school but their contents will soon take their places on shelves, in desks and elsewhere for the start of the new school year.

The signs on the boy’s and girl’s locker room read, “Wet paint” and the kitchen is still undergoing renovation and will be equipped with all new appliances.

But overall, GMS is ready to recieve students for the 2009-2010 school year.

GISD Education Foundation Board Member Lucy Stark Haverkamp was busy giving tours for the campus’ open house last night.

“All the tiles on the floors and ceilings have been replaced and there is new lighting and new tinted glass,” said Haverkamp. “They have totally refurbished both the boy’s and girl’s gym.”

Haverkamp said they have just cleaned up and painted much of the school and given it a cosmetic upgrade. She said there is more room in the halls as the lockers have been taken out and the cafeteria has also been renovated.

“They have made more room for science classrooms,” said Haverkamp. “All the science classes are equipped with smart boards and eventually all the classes in the school with have them.”

Haverkamp shared her own nostalgia as she walked through the halls and classrooms.

“I graduated in this building, Class of 1982,” said Haverkamp.

“This was my chemistry class,” said Haverkamp as we moved through a classroom.

“This was my freshman English class and my teacher used a microphone her voice was so tiny,” said Haverkamp.

Larry Sullivant was touring the building and said “I was in the last class of Newsome Doughtery, the Class of 1959.” Newsome Doughtery, as far as the group could remember, was the name of the home, the mansion, that was located at the front of the campus property and was renovated to become Gainesville High School until the present building was opened in 1960.

Diane Dietz was touring the building and looking around said, “I’m just amazed. They spent hours and hours in here.”

I graduated from here,” said Karen Leach. “We just came to look. We have a son in the high school musical tonight so we came by.”

“I think it’s awesome,” said GISD Board of Trustees President Phil Adams as he walked the building. “The kids will really enjoy it.”

“I think it’s brighter,” said Cindy Bryant. “The lighting is better and the ceiling is new and it’s really clean.”

“I think they are going to think they are in Heaven,” said Haverkamp of the students who will attend the campus in the fall. “For one thing, there are no stairs,” said Haverkamp of the previous Gainesville Junior High School located on Dixon. “There were three flights of stairs at the old junior high.”

Haverkamp said, “The teachers will love it. They won’t have to fight for parking.”

The open house for the school coincided with the opening performance night of Butterfield Stage’s “The Music Man” in the school’s auditorium.