Its Back To [A New] School For Cave Spring Middle Students

Marty Misicko describes the new school as superintendent Lorraine Lange (right) and Cave Spring school board member Fuzzy Minnix (left) look on.

Cave Spring Middle School returning students were probably a bit wide-eyed with wonder this past week when they returned after the summer break. After all, they spent last year in trailers on the Hidden Valley High School property (6th and 7th graders anyway; 8th graders were at Cave Spring High School) while Cave Spring Middle was torn down and rebuilt in one year. The late 50’s era school – which used to be Cave Spring High School – underwent a complete makeover, to the tune of 26.8 million dollars.

Everything is completely new, except for the gym and auditorium, the only portions of the old school that remain. Both were refurbished, however. Martins Brothers Contractors were still putting the finishing touches on the new school last week, a three story structure that expands the capacity of the school from 675 to 900 students. That means some students who attended Hidden Valley Middle (and then were destined for crowded Hidden Valley High School) were rezoned for the new Cave Spring Middle.

The new school uses a geothermal well system, which offers savings on utility expenses.  More than 54,000 square feet have been added with the third floor. There’s a new technology lab, art room, music studios, a greenhouse, durable terrazzo tile floors and an outdoor plaza. “The [school board] members saw that it might be advantageous to take down the old school building and do this,” said Cave Spring school board representative Fuzzy Minnix, who said that the old school was showing its age and would have needed major repairs anyway.

“We found out that we could [build new] for not a whole lot more than it would cost us to refurbish the old building,” noted Minnix. “Now we’ve got one that will go for another 50-60 years.”  This is the second year in a row that a new school has been opened in the County; the new Mason’s Cove Elementary School debuted last fall. The lower-than-expected construction costs for that project due to favorable conditions in a down economy freed up about 10 million dollars that could be applied towards Cave Spring Middle School, according to Minnix.

Principal Steve Boyer said students would have an orientation session when they came to school for the first time this week, before being sent on to class. Parents used to dropping their kids off for school will have to get reoriented as well – the new drop off entrance is on Ranchcrest Drive behind the school, not on busy Brambleton Avenue.

Boyer also said students would be given a tour of the new building; he said teachers would be “very lenient,” as youngsters figured out the new lay of the land and where their classrooms were. “I still have teachers trying to find their way around, it’s so big.”

The new school, which features a cafeteria that can seat 300, new ergonomic chairs for students and the latest technology, provides a better learning environment according to Boyer. “It has so much to offer our teachers and our kids. We have so much more than what we had in the old building. Just the space and the natural light to begin with and the additional technology.”

Boyer estimates that the attendance figure this year will come in around 740. Hidden Valley Middle School students that were slated to be transferred to Cave Spring Middle were given the option of finishing out their middle school years at Hidden Valley – if they provided their own transportation.  Some took advantage of the offer, but not many according to Boyer.

It will take several years to normalize the population between Cave Spring and Hidden Valley high schools, after the more-balanced student populations at the two middle schools work their way through. Boyer said the enrollment figures at the two middle schools are comparable this year. After 24 years in the school system, Boyer is excited about the changes as well. A “memory wall” in one corridor features yearbook sections and student photos, erected in homage to the old middle school.

The Memory Wall salutes the old middle school back to the 1950’s.

Roanoke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Lange was on hand for a tour last week, as construction workers scurried about, putting things in place. “We’ve been so fortunate in Roanoke County to have the building that we’ve had,” said Lange, referring to recent construction projects. “We’ve been good [money] savers and we’ve been able to do a lot of things that other systems haven’t.”

A pool of money set aside every year by both the school board and the Board of Supervisors means there are funds to pay the debt service on new construction projects, despite diminished tax revenues. “We’re pleased that so many of our schools have been renovated or are brand new,” said Lange.

The mild weather over the past winter is one major reason why the new school was finished on time in just one year, according to operations director Marty Misicko, who noted that some “finishing touches,” will still be applied throughout the fall. “We are good to go,” he said about this week’s debut.

By Gene Marrano

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