When children return to Lake Anne Elementary on Tuesday, the school will look dramatically different. Instead of an open field, there will be trailers and ramps. Instead of the familiar layout, there will be a temporarily reconfigured school.
And the donkey is no longer by the front entrance.
Lake Anne Elementary has begun a two-year renovation project, designed to update all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, plus increase the size of the school by 8,000 square feet. The work will be completed in phases over the next 24 months.
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"The change since July 1 has been phenomenal," says Linda Hajj, Lake Anne Elementary's principal. Hajj has a large blueprint on her office wall. The color-coded sections indicate the progress of the complex project.
Hajj is upbeat about the chaos, knowing that the contractor and his teams are professional and experienced. The team has recently completed several other renovations for Fairfax County Public Schools.
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The main office has been temporarily relocated near old Entrance 2, in a space formerly used by the drama teacher. Already, it is business as usual there as summer break winds down, with a steady stream of phone calls and families dropping in to register or provide their TDAP immunization records.
By the time school starts on Sept. 7, a canopy will cover the walkway leading to the new main entrance. Dismissal can be accommodated from that point, and students and parents will be protected from the elements.
Kindergartners and first graders will be in the classrooms that are furthest from the construction so they'll have the least disruption.
The biggest change will be for fifth- and sixth-grade students.
Starting in September, they will occupy the "outdoor campus" - four trailers completely restored inside with fresh paint and new whiteboards, each with their own climate controls.
One set of trailers will be for science and math, another set for social studies and language arts. Four classrooms are within each set. Students will switch classes within the sets and then use ramps to change between trailers. The existing Band and Strings trailers have been moved closer to this outdoor campus.
"Our goal was to make transitions easy for students and staff," says Hajj "We've tried to think of everything for safety and security."
Inside the school, some hallways are completely blocked off, behind locked doors, so Lake Anne students won't enter the work areas. Any hazardous activities will occur during non-school hours, when students are not in the building. A safety specialist inspects the building twice a week, and air quality is monitored on a regular basis. New exits have been created to make certain the entire school has safe passage to the outdoors.
Of course, some things will stay the same: the cafeteria will be the hub of lunch time activity. Phys Ed classes will continue to have full use of the gym and a good portion of the field outside. The majority of Lake Anne staff is returning this year, with just a few new additions.
Despite the external disruptions, Hajj and new Assistant Principal Melissa Goddin expect everyone's focus to be on learning as they start the new school year.
Lake Anne students can check out the way the school looks at an open house Friday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.
And the Donkey? The much-loved Lake Anne donkey and other artwork that decorated the inside and outside of the school has been carefully removed (when possible) and will be stored in the school until the renovations are complete.
