"Welcome Home!!"
Sparkling and ready for the next 50 years, the Old Mission Peninsula School debuted for staff, students and parents with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday evening.
Principal Patty Olson gave an enthusiastic greeting and district superintendent James Feil spoke about the project and vision. Then, National Cherry Festival Old Mission Peninsula School Princess Emmalyn Reamer and Prince Chris Messner flourished their scissors.
The ceremony also welcomed the Old Mission Peninsula Community Library back to its shared digs in the building, where it serves a dual mission as a school and community library. The school, which was built in the early 1950s, will serve 239 students in grades K-6 this year.
Olson joyfully welcomed everyone back, enthusing about the new school and eager to start the new year. She also acknowledged the adventure that everyone had last year moving and running the school at the former Sabin Elementary School.
"Is this a thrill, or what? It's just so exciting," she continued. "I can't thank the parent community enough for your support, you did help us make it a field trip away from home."
"Coming back is the best part," Olson concluded. "Your staff has worked so hard to make this move wonderful for kids and truly they deserve hugs and hugs and hugs."
As attendees scoped out the changes, upgrades and innovations, they "oohed" and "aahed" at the independent study nooks, shining floors, hallway display cases and all the other upgrades to the 50-year-old building. They explored the long hallways, checked out classrooms, stepped into the renovated main office and wowed at the soaring skylight that lit up the large foyer.
"It is completely different, it's beautiful and everybody is so excited," said Shelly Klein, the PTO president at the school." "It's great to be back home, we have a lot of community support here from people who don't even have kids in the school."
Klein, the mother of two "Panthers" at the school, credited the school's staff for the smooth year last year despite the lengthy commute and new location miles from the community.
"That's exactly what Patty said: we had to look at it as an adventure and make it a positive experience for the children — and we did," she said.
Underneath the external facelift, the school is now wired for the 21st Century as all classrooms have wireless connections. In addition, all forms of media and the Internet can be funneled through projectors onto screens in every room. In addition, the school now has all new mechanical, plumbing, electrical and support infrastructure.
"For the parents and the children to sacrifice a year for the next generation to really have a beautiful school, that's really something," said Traverse City Area Public School Superintendent James Feil, who acknowledged the school board, public, staff, community and former superintendent James Pavelka for the project's success.
The Old Mission Peninsula Community Library has also expanded and been given a new, light-filled look. A new media center in the back includes drop-down LCD screens that students may use during the school day and community members can use on evenings and weekends. Library director Victoria Shurley thanked the school district for making it apparent from the beginning that they wanted the community library back.
"We feel like we're back home," she said.