STAUNTON, Va. (WHSV) – Phase one of renovations at Shelburne Middle School is almost complete.
SMS Principal Lisa Warren said while the students and teachers have moved into the new space, there are still a few loose ends that need to be tied up.
“Our students have access to an amazing business lab, a stem lab, a robotics lab, and then a collaborative design space, we have two new science labs for our sixth graders, and then we also added a co-lab space which is near our library,” Warren said.
Warren said the students and teachers deserve to have newly renovated space.
“Our kids have made reference that it looks like a college classroom,” Warren said.
Warren said when middle schools have spaces that are similar to high school. It can help make that transition smoother.
“We are able to open up ideas and thoughts for kids as they are thinking about what their thoughts and plans may be for secondary school,” Warren said.
While these renovations are near completion, there is more work the school is hoping to get done.
“We would be adding on an addition to our building, and it would have a fine arts focus with an auditorium that the community would have access to as well as Staunton City Schools,” Warren said.
Warren said the more space they have, the better they can meet the needs of their students through their elective and core subjects.
“When you are trying build community in a building having a space where you can have a pep rally or give presentations to an entire grade level at the same time or do presentations for your families. When we have musicals, we have to go to another school’s auditorium because we do not have the space,” Warren said.
Phases 2 and 3 of the renovations are currently unfunded. Warren said if the project is not funded, they would not be able to move forward with the renovations.
“We are looking at avenues like presenting at city council, looking at grants through department of education and any other funding that would come through that we are aware of,” Warren said.
While the timeline of phase two is still unknown. Warren said it is amazing to students in the new space.
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