August 15, 2001
Westwoods eases growing pains
Elementary breaks ground on four classroom addition
By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
Students at Westwoods Elementary will be a little less cramped soon. The school, which has the largest general student population of any Traverse City elementary, is adding a four classroom addition, scheduled to be complete by January, 2002.
Westwoods' principal Larry Dobler, along with Traverse City Area Public Schools superintendent James Pavelka, school board president Dick Crampton, Westwoods staff, students and parents were on hand last Tuesday as ground was broken on the 5,775 square foot addition.
The number of students at Westwoods, located in Long Lake Township, has increased from 335 when the school opened 12 years ago, to an expected district high of 400 when school opens next month.
"We have knocked out walls to make classrooms larger, used large storage facilities as classrooms and even used the back of the library as a classroom," Dobler said.
" The change in the demographics of the community are representative of the changes in our school building, the area is growing in part due to the great staff we have here."
Compton Construction of Traverse City was awarded the job which is funded by a recent school bond issue approval. The project is scheduled to be complete by the beginning of the second semester next January.
"This will certainly improve the educational environment and add to Westwoods' reputation as a high quality educational institution," said superintendent Pavelka.