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Maplewood Renovations-
October 23, 2024
Flex Cafe in the new Maplewood.
Image provided by: https://www.mjsd.k12.wi.us/
It’s safe to assume that many students and staff alike in Menasha were devastated to find that their summer would be cut short this year—at least, I know I was missing those last free days of August. Who wouldn’t want to savor the end of summer?
Fortunately, those days are going to be put to good use in the summer of 2025. Maplewood Middle School has some impactful changes set to come! But what are these changes and how will they affect the student experience in Menasha?
To start, the whole makeup of Maplewood Middle School is set to change over this next summer. The school will be split between a 5th and 6th grade pod and a 7th and 8th grade pod, each with their own lunch areas, classrooms, collaboration areas, restrooms, and lockers.
“This change will give us an opportunity to have a large school in student population but position us to have smaller communities within the school to help meet all students' individualized needs,” says Mr. Schmolinske, the Maplewood principal.
Students in 5th and 6th grade can expect to stick with only one or two teachers for their core subjects, while 7th and 8th graders will transition to the “traditional” middle school experience with different teachers every class period.
Windows in the new Maplewood.
Image provided by: https://www.mjsd.k12.wi.us/
Exterior of the music wing in the new Maplewood.
Image provided by: https://www.mjsd.k12.wi.us/
Mr. Adesso, the district’s business administrator, said students can expect a much smaller lunch group with the separate eating areas (125 to 150 per lunch period, as opposed to the current 400 to 500) and overall a much calmer school day with the sectioning of students.
Also according to Mr. Adesso, Maplewood attendees can get excited about “all the natural light, a three station gym, (a) fitness center, (a) library with an amazing view, all new furniture and expanded course offerings.” Technology and outdoor spaces like the playground are set to be updated, and the art and music spaces are set to become “state of the art facilities.”
In addition to the shifting student experience, the middle school renovation is set to be the first “Net Zero” building in our district, a bold move toward environmental consciousness in our schools.
“The roof of the building will be covered in a solar array generating 1.15MW DC of power,” said Mr. Adesso. “Heating and cooling of the building will be accomplished by geothermal. Under the football field are 160 wells that go down 500ft that provide the constant temperature of the earth back to 156 heat pumps.”
The new Maplewood “will have zero natural gas running into the building,” an incredible step forward for our district’s carbon footprint. Even more exciting is the fact that the middle school renovation is only the second phase.
A draft of the main corridor concept as you come into the new Maplewood.
Image provided by: https://www.mjsd.k12.wi.us/
A draft of the house Flex Cafe in the new Maplewood where each wing will have their own cafe.
Image provided by: https://www.mjsd.k12.wi.us/
“The school district started down this path in 2010 with a facilities study of all facilities,” said Mr. Schmolinske. “At that time the high school was selected as the building with the most needs. That was Phase I and Maplewood is Phase II of a three phase project.”
Students, staff, and parents can rest assured there is a lot to look forward to in our community’s future; expect more to come from the Menasha School District.
Check out the Maplewood project overview and updates at the below sites:
Check out the Maplewood project overview and updates at the below sites:
by Indigo Shidler
October 23, 2024
The Jay's News Nest
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