Move Something....Work....Move Something...Work

Do you remember playing one of these games when you were a kid? Not an online version but one that you actually held in your hand? You only had one empty space to move a tile and you had to figure out which one to move so that it would open a space to move another tile. The goal was to put the tiles in order. Well, our school has become a giant, building-sized version of this game.


No matter where you go at CME, there is someone working. The cafeteria, administrative area, old hallways, new hallways, media center, classrooms....it seems that there is no space that isn't receiving attention. If you add construction equipment and supplies, boxes from packed up classrooms, and a seemingly endless supply of new furniture and cabinetry boxes, you have a very full building. Here's where the game comes in. Construction crews and our custodial staff will move one set of items so that work can be done then they move it back in order to open up another area for work. The goal is to have everything in its place in time for school to start.

Here's a look at what's going on around the building.

Cafeteria

This portion of the ceiling is over the entrance to the serving line.

This embellishment is nearest the wall that formerly had all the windows.

Our beautiful embellishment that is hanging on the new wall that is approximately 8-10' in front of the former stage area.

This view is of the kitchen entrances.  The door to the far left leads into the new hallway that was referred to as the temporary hallway last year.

This is the wall that faces the gym.  It is temporarily drywalled until they can complete the stage that will be accessible from both the cafeteria and gym.

Administrative Area

 The beautiful sunburst in the vestibule.

 This is one of the display cases in the entrance hallway.  The second one is navy blue.

 The workroom/mailroom in the office.

 The tile has been laid in the front office.

 This is the secretary and attendance clerk's work space.  They will greet all of our visitors here.

 This is the first private office across from the main desk.  This could possibly be home to our Administrative Dean. 

 This is a view of the entrance/vestibule from the secretary's perspective.

 This is the nurse's area/first aid. The middle and right door are individual examing rooms and the left door is the restroom.  It looks like we will have enough space for our own little clinic. 

Here is an example of our slide and shuffle game....furniture was loaded into an office while the tile was being laid. 

Media Center

 The tile is being laid in the media center.  The blue tile is in the main entrance into the library.  When the light shines on it, you can see the checkerboard pattern. 

 The gentlemen laying the tile weren't thrilled with the curves in the design, but they have been working diligently to make it look awesome.

reen tile will be in the area that is geared more toward teacher use.

 The main portion of the media center has carpet. 

 In keeping with the color scheme, yellow tile is utilized around the reading area.

 The computer lab is a part of our media center and it has received new tile as well.  The windows that you see were formerly a part of the office.  The construction team did not remove the frames, but instead they put in new glass that is on the outside of the wide panes.  This will allow for some display space from within the computer lab. 

Everywhere Else

This is the back of the building after the rain.  It's a mess!!

This is the new music room.  It was formerly the OT room and a portion of the old stage.

This view is from the upstairs hallway and you would be looking at the staff restrooms.  The restrooms are gone but a new elevator motor room is on the right.  The old workroom will become our new workroom/lounge.

Furniture is piled in the new hallway while the floors in the rooms are being waxed.

The door and window will be a new office on the downstairs level.  The white wall to the left was the old stairwell entrance.  Behind the small window was the entrance to the boys' restroom.  The office space was formerly the custodial office.

Seeing this being done was a bit of a surprise.  The new drive that goes around the back of the building is made of beautiful paving stones.  I was just expecting new blacktop. 

This is the curve of the new drive. 

Worker Josh, breaks out the old windows that were a part of the entrance closest to the bus lane.

Work continues outside the gym.  This area will be home to a new classroom and student restrooms.

Workers are hustling to complete the new restrooms closest to the elevator.

Our new stairwell is where the cafeteria entrance used to be.

This is the elevator shaft.  It is located on the side of the old stairwell.  To picture where the new elevator is located, imagine that they lifted it up and set it in the old stairwell then turned it sideways to face the other hallway. 

And the Work Continues......

The renovation crews have been working tirelessly on our building.  Saturdays, Sundays, and even the Fourth of July finds the crews tearing down and rebuilding.  

Outside

Superintendent Darren works with concrete that is the base for the columns that will be installed out front. 

Work has begun on the new side walk out front.  

Worker Hunter levels out the gravel before concrete is poured. 

The gazebo area is quite a mess right now. 

 Administrative Area

For most people this may not be very exciting but having enough mail slots for the entire staff in one place is great. 

Cabinets have been installed in the work room that is located in the administrative area.  

The front office cabinets have been installed.  Part of the top pieces are missing and will be installed soon.  

The display cases in the new hallway have a tile surround.  One is navy and the other is..........

a vintage teal.  

The glass cabinet insert awaits installation. 

In the new hallway this area will be a bench for students.  The two openings are old cafeteria windows. 

Superintendent Darren has taken our principal, Mrs. Smith, on a walk through for project updates.  They spent a moment catching up in the new office.  

Cabinetry is being installed in the front office. 

The first aid room has a window that overlooks into the secretary's area. 

 Elevators, Stairs, and Classrooms

The wood is built over the area that was the stairwell.  

This is the old work room and will be home to our new lounge/workroom.  

This is a view of the old workroom from the first floor.  Notice the colorful paint from the old staff restrooms. 

This is the old workroom as seen from the doorway to the lounge. 

The old restrooms by the elevator have been destroyed and are being rebuilt. 

This new wall was formerly the outside wall in Mrs. Fosson's office and the special ed office. 

New concrete is being poured for the elevator shaft. 

The open space below was formerly Mr. Baker's office.  

This space was Mrs. Pickard's room at the bottom of the stairs. 

The doorway at the top of the stairs by the temporary office gets a new frame. 

The new stairwell is being installed.  This was formerly the entrance to the cafeteria. 

The stairwell is installed and awaiting concrete.  

This area will be the new music room.  The area in the forefront was the OT room and the back portion was the back half of the stage.  

Worker Hunter adds foundation supports for the new music room.  

On the first floor, work is being completed on the elevator shaft. 

This new embellishment is in the cafeteria on the new wall in front of the old stage area. 

Cabinetry is being installed in one of the new primary classrooms on the first floor. 

Cubbies are installed in the same classroom.

Old Hallway

Work continues on the remaining old hallway. 

A great deal of attention is being focused on the work in other parts of the building so the demolition of the back hallway is coming along at a slower pace.  

What a mess!!  Old insulation and ceiling tiles have been removed from one of the old classrooms.