WEEKI WACHEE — Sixth-grade teacher Lisa Garrison was arranging displays and sorting supplies onto empty desks in her second-floor classroom when the tour group reached her door.
It was Aug. 5, and teachers across Hernando County were doing much the same thing — though without school district officials, construction staff and journalists looking on.
The occasion was the opening of the county’s newest classroom building, a two-story addition on the shared Weeki Wachee High School-Winding Waters K-8 campus. Built by JE Dunn Construction, it can hold about 750 students and serves both schools. District officials said the work finished ahead of schedule, and Superintendent Ray Pinder cut the ribbon that day. Students walked in two days later, on Aug. 7.
“We’re trying to get everything set up,” Garrison said. “We’re trying to get everything organized and get ready for Friday when we get kiddos.”
Her largest class has 27 students, she said, and she expected to teach 140 to 145 over the course of a day.
Garrison, who teaches English language arts, has spent her life in the county.
“The new building is amazing,” she said. “I’ve been in Hernando County. I started school here, I graduated school here, I married my high school sweetheart, my three boys graduated from Weeki. This is the first time in Hernando County history that the building is done on time, ready to go. Beautiful.”
Middle school is a big transition, she said, but her students were looking forward to it.
Hive mind
Pinder pointed out the ceilings, walls and floor tiles as he led visitors through. The honeycomb motif runs throughout the building, and on that morning the buzzing came from adults peering into rooms, savoring the cool air and remembering their own school days.
“It’s well-designed, welcoming and laid out nice for the two schools to use effectively,” he said. “You’ve got a little hive theme going on here with the cells because they’re ‘The Hornets.’”
The working air conditioning was its own kind of relief. A failed system forced Pinder to close the school for a time last year. He recalled going to school in Key West back in the day, when there was no air conditioning at all.
“Things have changed,” he said.
Rooms assigned
Every classroom has a video screen showing a soothing scene, a touch Garrison said she liked. Nameplates outside many doors already identified their teachers — “Mrs. Jones’ room” — and in some cases the subject that would be taught inside.
Downstairs, food was laid out in the cafeteria before two tour groups fanned out through the building.
“I think we got our money’s worth,” said School Board member Michelle Bonczek. “It’s much nicer than other projects I’ve seen from the past.”
School buildings are expensive, she said, and the builder not only did a nice job but added some extras.
“I think they did a good job,” she said.
Cutting the ribbon
After the tours, the group gathered outside for the ribbon-cutting. Joining Pinder were Ed LaRose, principal of Weeki Wachee High School, and Kristen Tormey, principal of Winding Waters K-8.
“We’re proud to officially open this building today,” Pinder said before making the cut.
Students would turn it into a school, he added. He praised the decision to build on land the campus already had rather than buy a new site, and said the space between the two schools had been blended well.
There had been some concern along the way, particularly about the air conditioning, Pinder said, which made the early finish that much more welcome. He also said Brian Ragan, the district’s director of facilities and construction, was inspecting a school in a cowboy hat.
“He was in his element,” Pinder said.
“We proudly open this building to them.”