Students from Arredondo Elementary School will get some real-world experience while their campus undergoes a major remodeling expected to last a full year.
As the project gets underway on Oct. 20, kids will have a chance to learn side by side with contractors and engineers in an array of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lessons.
The program owes its thanks to the McCarthy Construction Company and DLR Group, which is overseeing the taxpayer-approved project.
The students’ hands-on lessons will take place at nearby Meyer Elementary, which will be their home while the work is being done at Arredondo.
The renovated Arredondo campus will reopen for the 2017-2018 school year.
Until then, students and faculty are gearing up for STEM lessons that will delve into topics like concrete, masonry, electrical, energy, elevators, framing and interior design.
Most of the lessons will be with fifth-graders, but some will include all grades. Field trips and career discussions will also be part of the mix.
Alison Bruening-Hamati, principal of Arredondo, is enthusiastic about the upcoming STEM lessons.
“The chance for them to work alongside architects, contractors and other construction professionals in the creation of a new school is something they will remember for the rest of their lives,” Bruening-Hamati said.
“Our hope is that they are inspired by the experience to eventually pursue a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. So often, we have to create a real-world experience for students for STEM.
“This time, real-world experience has come to Arredondo, and we have the awesome chance to connect it to learning.”
The renovations at Arredondo, which was built in 1973, will add 66,000 square feet, additional classrooms, a project lab and an assessment lab.
The newly designed school will also feature six common spaces within the classroom areas, an updated library, a renovated multipurpose room plus a 3,500-square-foot cafeteria with a new kitchen and serving area.
