Bradenton Christian School on fast track to complete $3.7M middle school

Bradenton Christian School on fast track to complete $3.7M middle school

BRADENTON -- Dan Vande Pol envisions the new middle school building at Bradenton Christian as a space that uses up-to-date technology, engaging and varied classroom spaces, state-of-the-art science labs and open hallways to continue to put students on the path to being better learners and better Christians.

He's getting closer to that reality every day.

The $3.7 million, two-story building is quickly taking shape on the school campus next to the high school.

On a tour of the building Thursday, Vande Pol and Heidi Sikkema, director of development, remarked at the speed with which the crew from Oden-Hardy Construction of Bradenton was completing the building.

With drywall up, it's much easier to imagine how desks and equipment will look in the space.

"We want it up and running for the start," he said.

The next semester for students at BCS begins Aug. 17.

With the chance to design a new school from the start, a lot of design decisions were made with a purpose based on new research methods.

The hallway on the first floor is wider than normal to give active, middle-school students more space to move around. Carpeted floors also leave space for students and classes to sit outside.

The classroom desks being ordered are triangular and easy to move, allowing teachers to quickly reconfigure a classroom space for group work.

One of the two labs features long work benches. The other has smaller stations for collaborations.

Each classroom has an internet-enabled projector . Teachers will be able to roam freely in the classroom with a tablet connected to the project.

Students will pick up a Chromebook each day to help complete their work. Each room and hallway area will have its own wireless internet access.

"This was all very purposeful," Sikkema said. "A middle-school student is very active, they have a lot going on. We want to keep it exciting to learn."

Some best practices won't change.

"Cubbies" are being constructed so students can drop off any extra baggage -- instruments and athletic gear -- and stow it during the school day.

To avoid overloaded backpacks taking up walking space each classroom will have backpack storage. Lockers are being put in, and there will also be some benches in the hallways so students can sit and chat.

"It'll give it a little more of a collegial feel," Sikkema said.

The building will be able to accommodate up to 240 middle school students in the core content areas. The addition of the middle-school building helps free up space in the high school building, which will allow programs some room to breathe. Vande Pol said they've already starting planning some new elective and moving some classrooms into better spaces in the high school building.

Right now, the school enrolls 715 students from prekindergarten up through

12th grade. Vande Pol said they're planning for 750 students in the fall. The school already has students who can't enroll in some of the grades.

"We're already on a wait list for ninth grade, and seventh grade, and eighth grade, actually," he said.

The middle-school project is being funded through an anonymous donor and donations raised through events such as The Giving Challenge and other fundraisers. All but about $600,000 was raised, and Vande Pol said the school is borrowing money for that portion.

"The rest of it is all paid for," he said. "What a blessing."

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081.Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Bradenton Christian School on fast track to complete $3.7M middle school ."