It takes a lot to get a kid to end their summer early and head back to class, but the Aug. 8 celebration at Ellis Elementary School in the Sunnyvale School District (SSD) did just that. Despite being more than a week away from the official first day of school, more than a hundred students and their families gathered at the Ellis campus on Olive Avenue to take part in the school’s official reopening.
For more than four years, students and staff have dealt with on campus construction that rebuilt and remodeled nearly 80% of the campus. Now, they get to reap the rewards.
“Previously, our school [was] just old, everything original. We lacked air conditioning in our many classrooms. We lacked bathrooms in kindergarten. Just everything was falling apart. Leaky roofs,” said Ellis Elementary School Principal Stephanie Fischer. “Our black top, when it would rain, we would get a lake. We actually called it Lake Ellis. So, we really rebuilt the school from the ground up.”
Fischer has served as principal at Ellis Elementary since 2017, so she remembers the old campus. She’s also had to guide the school through the construction. She says the staff couldn’t have adapted better to the constantly changing environment.
“Everybody has had to be inconvenienced with noise, moving, learning new routines and procedures all the time,” said Fischer. “Every year, there was something new that we had to change. Whether it’s how we’re getting food or what bathrooms people can use. Having to walk long ways to get to a short distance. But this staff has been amazing.”
Fischer says not once did people complain.
“When I say they have not complained, like I truly mean that they really have not complained,” said Fischer. “You would think that with such a tough, long project like this, four years we’ve been under physical construction, that we would have more complaints. They didn’t. The staff was amazing. Just really rolling with the punches and trusting us that the end result is going to be worth it. And it is.”
A lot of thought went into the reconstruction of the campus, which was paid for with funds from the Nov. 2018 bond measure GG.
There are enough solar panels to make the campus close to NetZero. There’s a dedicated play space for kindergarteners and the classrooms were designed with the kids in mind with alternative seating options and collaborative spaces.
Superintendent Michael Gallagher pointed out that extra thought even went into the blacktop’s color. It’s painted in more neutral tones to help reduce heat reflection.
The changes were not lost on the Ellis community.
“I’m most excited about the gym,” said 11-year-old Adam, who will start fifth grade on Aug. 19.
“When it wasn’t built, I usually play soccer field but sometimes we have PE over here,” Adam said, gesturing to the blacktop area. “It’s tiring to run around here. It’s going to be very cool [in the gym].”
Adam’s mom, Israa, has three kids attending Ellis. She says they’re thrilled with the new campus.
“They looking to the construction and they wait to see the results but today they are so happy because they see everything is done and they have a big playground and big area to spend time with their friends on it,” said Israa.
Fischer believes the changes will inspire everyone to focus more intently on learning.
“Today, I have kids say, ‘I wish today was the first day.’ When the teachers are walking in, for me, that has been so special seeing their … taking their breath away,” said Fischer. “So, I think the excitement level for kids is just going to be off the charts but I think it’s actually going to lend us to really focus on learning better.”