Monday, September 15, 2003
By Sarah Sparks
© 2003 Republican-American
WOODBURY — Call it the end of Nonnewaug High School's seven-year itch.
Region 14 capped off its $7.69 million renovation project, begun in 1997, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the high school Sunday afternoon.
The district put finishing touches on the school's new computer center this summer, as well as a new network system for all classrooms.
Julie Cormack, a senior in Nonnewaug's Agri-Science magnet school, said the computer lab was one of her favorite rooms. Cormack led tours of the school's new cafeteria, weight room, media center and other improvements during the reception. She said she liked the new typing aids and 30 new Dell computers.
Students have coped with some shuffling during recent years, as nine new classrooms were introduced. In place of the old blackboard-and-podium-style science classrooms, each department now has a room geared to its specialty. The physics room has a wide construction space for building model vehicles, while the chemistry lab has multiple sinks and mixing tables.
Cormack especially enjoys the new band and chorus auditorium, which has a split-level floor to make it easier for students in the back rows to see the conductor, and a two-story high ceiling for better acoustics and light. Outside is a music technology center, with 12 computer consoles attached to keyboards for composition.
The music room is also close to twice the size of the old space.
"It's much better than the old band room," Cormack said. "I should know. I was in band there, and it was just so cramped."
William Geddes, Nonnewaug's instrumental music director, said the new space at the corner of the school has made for better relations with the other departments, too.
"The old music room was in the middle of the English and business departments," Geddes said. "We were really bad neighbors because we were pretty noisy. Now it's nice — we have our own space and don't bother anybody."
All departments got new faculty offices to make it easier for students to find teachers between classes. The former main school office has been adapted into a special education center, with tables for tutoring and side rooms for private study or parent-teacher conferences.
"People still come in here by accident and go ‘Oh, wow,'" Cormack said.
Nonnewaug has become more handicapped-accessible, with better ramps and an elevator to upper floors. It also has an indoor walkway from the main building to the agriculture center, which allows students to get to class more easily in bad weather.
Principal John Vecchitto said he was pleased with the renovations, but his favorite finishing touch was the extensive landscaping throughout the new school building and grounds.
"You see all of that?" he said, gesturing to the seating park in front of the school. "Our students did all of that."