WEYBURN - A new school family will gather together in a state-of-the-art ‘school within a park’, when Legacy Park Elementary School is officially opened for its first school year this September. There are beautiful sightlines to Jubilee Park, and lots of large glass windows, wood and natural pieces.
“This new school will such a gem for our city,” said Arlene Dobson, principal of Legacy Park Elementary School. “The teachers and staff are so excited. The buzz we heard in June, was like the buzz we usually hear at the start of the new school year.”
“The design of this school, with all the architectural features that has been built in, is based off a ‘school within a park’ and bringing the outside inside,” said Dobson. “Even in the design features of the school itself, there is lots of wood, natural pieces, and even the carpet looks like cobblestone.”
During a media tour of the new Legacy Park Elementary School, Dobson spoke about the different features of the bright, colourful open concepts that will great staff and students this fall.
There are different entrances for each grade-alike classroom too, so that they enter into the school right by their learning areas. Younger aged students have their classrooms on the main floor, while the older students have their classrooms on the second floor.
“We have six different learning communities within the school. They are all based off different grade levels, so that grade-alike classrooms can share an open learning common space. Each of these six different learning communities have their own colour, so it is landmarked for the students so they know exactly where to go. It is all for the ease of the students,” said Dobson.
“We also have two all-student commons, that the students can access too,” added Dobson. There are also hubs where grade-alike teachers can collaborate together close to their classrooms. The shared open learning spaces and all-school commons will encourage engagement and interaction for the students.
Even the washrooms are all gender neutral, all-inclusive, with larger washrooms that are fully accessible for those who have mobility issues.
With individual rooms instead of stalls separated by partial walls, Dobson said the gender-neutral washrooms allow each student full privacy.
For the younger grades, the students have a shared hand-washing station, which is open and visible to sightlines. The washrooms for the older students have a little more privacy, with fully functional washroom with sinks built right in beside the toilets.
“COVID changed things for schools for a bit. But we are hopeful that when we come to the school this fall that it will truly be a open, welcoming place where classrooms and students are learning together.”
The new Legacy Park Elementary School will also share some community spaces within the Credit Union Sparks Centre. “We are excited to be working with the City of Weyburn as our partner, since the whole process began. It has been excellent working with them to ensure proper traffic flow around the school.”
