‘Overwhelming excitement’: Handley Elementary welcomes students
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - After pushing back the opening, Handley Elementary in Saginaw welcomed students on Tuesday.
“We want to be able to meet every single kid where they’re at and excel them, propel them even further,” said Handley Elementary’s Principal Julie Miller.
Miller said the new building gives students even more learning opportunities.
“This group is very special because they are the first group of students to be at the new Handley and then they will be the first group of sixth graders at the new [Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy],” she said.
School was in session in the brand new building on Tuesday, Sept. 5 and it’s a day Miller has been waiting on for three years.
“The biggest feeling we have today, I would say overwhelming excitement,” Miller said.
The new facility was a part of a $100 million bond proposal in 2020.
After a delaying the start day by a week for some finishing touches, students and staff were welcomed into the new 60,000 square-foot building.
Relate: Handley Elementary School pushes back school year’s start date
“To see the students when they walked in, just extremely excited about how beautiful everything was,” Miller said. “And when they saw their classroom spaces and when they saw the garage doors go up for the first time, it was so exciting.”
Each classroom has garage doors that, when opened, allow multiple classes to work together. The new construction is a Y-shaped structure, where each wing leads to the center of the building.
“[Each wing] is actually our band, gymnasium, learning commons, STEM, and art. So, essentially this entire building is learning space for students and they’ll be interwoven on a weekly basis through all of those rooms,” Miller explained. “And so, while they’re all in their individual wings they’ll have a central location where everyone learns in unison.”
Handley curriculum will mirror Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy’s global learning model.
The gymnasium and some exterior features are still under construction, but are slated to be completed by winter.
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