\u201cThe students seemed split,\u201d said Whitehead. \u201cSome were nervous, but others were excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside, the weather was dreary, but inside, it was bright as students fluttered about the 152,000-square-foot building.<\/p>\n
While some students had trouble finding their classrooms in the new school, others used time during their lunch period to explore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just going to check out the new gym,\u201d a group of girls informed Principal Jason Wayman as they passed him in the hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see how many kids are just taking walking field trips and checking things out,\u201d Wayman said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of excitement about the new school.\u201d<\/p>\n
The $41.1 million, earth-friendly and state-of-the-art school offers plenty of features worth examining. The building\u2019s 34 classrooms are wired with stand-alone Wi-Fi capabilities and feature lesson capture software by FrontRow. Designed to help teachers deliver education more effectively and efficiently, the technology enables classroom lectures to be recorded and later downloading via a computer or smartphone.<\/p>\n
But Wayman said, they are still adding finishing touches.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re getting posters and some artwork so we can put some more school spirit into it, so it\u2019s not just all white walls,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The school is also waiting on parts to set up the lesson capturing systems in each classroom, furniture for the courtyard and equipment for the weight room.<\/p>\n
But for the most part, the school is complete and ready for the year.<\/p>\n
For now, Wayman and the staff are simply working out the kinks \u2013 like learning to program key card doors and utilize the intercom system.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible facility,\u201d said Wayman.<\/p>\n
Combining land acquisition, architectural designs, inspection fees and construction costs, the project totaled almost $41.4 million. A $22.2 million Colorado Department of Education BEST grant and an $18.9 million local 20-year bond measure funded the development.<\/p>\n