Montessori Childrens House and School Renovation Update

OPEN HOUSE

2009-04-10T15:20:00.004-06:00

The ribbon cutting and Open House was a great success. The hard work put into this by the Board members involved really paid off. In addition to the parents of currently enrolled students we were also fortunate to serve as host to alumni and their parents as well. The efforts of Board members such as Susan Cowger resulted in the news media being present to cover the attendance of City Councilman Allen as well as Dallas Mayor Leppert.

Awaiting the ribbon cutting...

Dr. Gamino welcomed our guests and recognized one of the schools founders and earliest board members.

After remarks by the Mayor and City Councilman, the official ribbon cutting was celebrated. The our guests then toured the school enjoyed refreshments including Frito Lay products and a really terrific cake emblazoned with the school logo.

On I personal note I want to thank each of the guides, the school director, the Board of Directors and Board President Jacque Gamino for the honor of having been selected to work with them on this wonderful project. It is an honor that will live with me forever.

Seeing this project through from the earliest meetings in 2006 has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. I hope to continue to be of service to MCHS. The benefit the school provides to the lives of the boys and girls that attend is without measure and I am delighted to have contributed in a small way.

Thank you all.

Alexander Dahlgren
The Ancon Group

An Invitation to Everyone

2009-03-16T21:30:00.004-06:00

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-03-11T16:12:00.005-06:00

While the building construction is complete, the landscaping and interior design continues. Here is a hint of the work in progress. You will see even more when classes resume after Spring Break and during the open house for students. The date and time has been sent out to all parents. This will allow the students to see their new school prior to classes resuming.

The Guide Resource Room

The Directors Office

The Reception Room

The view to the South of the Hall which reinforces the woodlands motif established by our color scheme and the heirloom stained glass panels at the entrance to the BAC. All of which was inspired by the views of the Nature Area on the West side of the campus.

The Classroom Area Rugs.

We will certainly post photos once the landscaping is complete. We are eager to show each of you the totally new Montessori Childrens House and School. It has been an honor to build this for the students that begin their education here on Abrams Road.

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-02-21T18:37:00.006-06:00

Each day we are closer and closer to completion. The parking lot is now striped, the curb stops in place and the dumpster container has been built. As you recall, in the old parking lot, we had a lot of standing water when it rained and the edges had broken away over time. Additionally, the entrance to the parking lot was constrained by the flag pole and the dumpster placement. The new enclosure for the dumpster is located at the far end of the parking lot and the flag pole has been moved to a place of honor. The movement of the dumpster now allows the security cameras full view of the parking lot and creates a much safer driving environment.

The parking lot is now clean and organized. There is both an entrance and an exit which will allow for smooth movement into and out of the area.

The old driveway has been repaired, seal coated and the fire lane repainted. The front sidewalk now extends fully to the parking lot. It is now possible to move from cars to the building without walking in the driveway.

Rather than the standard single coat finish that most new VCT floors receive, we have treated the classrooms with four coats. The flooring is durable and beautiful. Jeff Everest, the office manager for The Ancon Group, visited the school today and commented "My school never looked like this! The sunlit rooms and handsome finishes will provide a great space for kids. The atmosphere is homey rather than institutional."

The work on the new fire hydrant made great headway today since the crew was able to work much longer hours. They are restricted to working between 9am and 2pm during the week due to the school zone. At the time I left MCHS this afternoon, the fire hydrant was being connected via 6" water lines to the City main. They will then pressure up the line and cover it in special gravel and sand, time permitting. The deadline for work today is 30 minutes prior to sunset. The trench is left unfilled and covered with the large steel plates. Monday, the crew will flush out the line and turn the project to the City of Dallas. The city will then open a valve and add concentrated cholrine to the line under pressure. This will allow to rest for one day. Tuesday is "blow out" where the line is allowed to run for about three hours via a hose into the storm sewer. The City should then collect a sample of the water from the hydrant and send it to a laboratory for testing. The new fire hydrant is a direct pathway to the drinking water supply and as such is treated with great care. Once the sample is tested and approved, the hydrant then becomes the responsiblity of another City department to approve. The approval will be noted by the painting of the hydrant. It is now red which indicates that it is 'not in service'. If everything were to go perfectly, we could have our Certificate of Occupancy by Friday. However, if a single thing were to go awry, we could be pushed back as much as a week. The work on the hiring of an engineer for the design of the new fire hydrant, the selection and hiring of the contrator for the work and the permitting of the hydrant, have all been far more complicated then the work on the actual building. The first step in the process began back in August.

I wanted to present one additional before and after set. At the time of previous post, I did not have a shot of the completed reception area. So without further ado...

Before:

And after...

We are eager to introduce each of you to the all new MCHS. The same wonderful education in a property to match.

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-02-20T16:56:00.011-06:00

They say you never want to see how sausage or political deals are made but hopefully you have enjoyed seeing how the work has progressed at MCHS. We present some 'before' and 'after' images for your enjoyment...

The West wall of Miss Jeanne's Classroom before:

And today.

The BAC Kitchen area before:

And after.

The computer desk in the old rear office:

The computer desk in the new Guide Resource Center. Notice the dedicated adult restroom. No longer is a trip through the laundry room required.

The old nap area under the stairs:

The new Nap Room which will be outfitted with blackout shades and has a sound reducing wall dividing it from the Enrichment Classroom. When needed the wall can be folded flat and allows for one large space to accommodate Adult Education and meetings.

The former library space was shared by Enrichment Classes, the laminating machine and served as an overflow cloak room. It was the old rear office.

The Library now will provide ample storage for an expanded book collection and cultivates the proper respect for books and how a library works.

The old rear office had a small amount of storage and little working counter space. This is the extent of storage previously.

Now, ample storage and a dedicated work area for the Guides. They will no longer be waiting to prepare materials while other meetings are being held or Enrichment Classes taught.

The new standard in storage and kitchens for the Classrooms.

Hand washing and drinking fountain is located between the large and well lit restrooms that are inside each class. No longer is a trip out into the hall required.

The BAC now has a covered walkway and a private entrance for easy arrival and departure for those students that are in the program. The porch ceiling was just recently completed with two tone paint accenting the steel structure which supports the roof.

We have begun the placement of the bricks which acknowledge the donations to a specific MCHS program. This is at the base of the flag pole which now occupies a place of honor across from the Entry Porch

And finally, while we had nothing to do with it, I wanted to share this photo of a really lovely tulip tree that is now visible in the Nature Area now that the large windows on the west side have been added.

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-02-19T12:32:00.003-06:00

This is a very different campus than the one we left at the end of term last year. When the trees leaf out again, it will be really beautiful.

The interior and exterior paint touch up is almost finalized and we are installing the final touches like the washroom signage and the handsome building numbers you see above our new front entrance.

Self reliance is a key element of the Montessori way and these child sized cabinets make that a simpler process. Project Manager Dale Buchanan reluctantly posed next to one of the children's sinks in Miss Lynne's class to give the image a sense of scale.

More soon!

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-02-18T16:04:00.004-06:00

As we continue toward our completion, we wanted to update you on our progress. We signed an agreement for the wax finishing of the classroom and BAC floors today so that they will be shiny and clean with an incredibly durable new finish.

The painting detailing is moving along as well as they touch up the areas where hardware was installed and the shoe moulding that was installed after the floors were completed. We have had the driveway cleaned today and it is set to have the seal coating placed on Friday so that the driveway will be clean and black (like the new parking lot) with stripes and fire lane markers all replaced.

The work on the fire hydrant for the school continues. It turns out that the depth of the water main was almost double that which was indicated on the charts so they have had to dig a substantial distance. The gigantic valves are assembled and ready to be installed. We are awaiting an inspection today to confirm that the sides of the hole are safe enough to allow workmen to enter and cut into the water main. This is done in conjunction with insuring that the valve which controls this main is functioning properly. Once that is insured, they will cut into the city water supply and install the new valve which directs water into the new line which will supply the fire hydrant. This line is lined with high density chlorine which will be left to dissolve prior to turning on the water which will mix the city water with the water in the new hydrant line. Once tested to confirm that it is at the proper level, the line will be made active and filled with city water with no fear of contamination. Once this test is completed, they hydrant pressure is tested and the water is left to run clear via a hose into the storm drain. The hydrant is then painted by the city and considered complete.

The valves with control the flow of water underground to the new hydrant. The scale is hard to discern in the photo but they are quite large.

Again the scale is an issue, but this hole is about 14 feet deep. The water main is visible in the bottom.

This image makes it a bit easier to tell exactly where the giant valves you saw in the first image are to be installed. At this junction, the valve is installed and the new water line moves up toward the surface until it reaches four feet below grade. It then turns and heads over toward the school.

As move in day approaches we are almost there! While the beauty of the new building is that which most notice immediately, we can not overstate the importance of the new safety and energy conservation features that are now a part of Montessori Childrens House and School

BLACKTOP

2009-02-11T13:00:00.003-06:00

The work continues and soon we will have a great, new parking lot and driveway without the potholes, loose gravel and muddy puddles.

Can asphalt be called a beautiful thing? I think so!

TRANSFORMERS

2009-02-10T10:51:00.003-06:00

While they won't turn into giant robots, there is nothing dearer to many a young boy's heart than earth moving equipment. The excavation is now going on for the new flag pole base. We are placing in directly opposite the front door and will install the donor bricks on the base. This will make it possible to view flag raising from the Front Porch and allow it to be seen from the Reception Room transom as well.

Additional equipment is being used to clear and prepare the parking lot for its new asphalt topping. The curb blocks will be removed and replaced on the fresh black parking lot with new stripping. The driveway will be freshened with curb repairs and fresh paint. The pile of dirt you see below was the accumulation of debris on the parking lot from the years it has been in place as well as the construction of the new building.

The place is looking great and we are eager to show off the fruits of the last few years of planning and work. The contributions of the Board and the various committees and donors can not be overstated. We believe everyone is going to love the new building.

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-02-09T17:53:00.004-06:00

With more and more of the final inspections being completed everyday, we wanted to update you on our progress.

The latest security and fire protection systems are in place and have been completed.

This includes the color video security cameras that oversee the entrances and the parking lot which are all managed from the reception area.

The flooring is completed and the looks GREAT!

As we wrap things up the cleaning is beginning in earnest. Here is what a difference clean windows can make. The view is to the Playground from the Nap Room.

And here we see the Nature Trail from Miss Lynne's Room.

More to come!

PART TWO

2009-02-05T14:46:00.003-06:00

Our second post today...

The BAC Entrance is complete...

The courtyard sidewalks are complete. This is the walkway travels from Miss Lynne's classroom to the Playground.

Easy accessibility to the parking lot is assured with the extended sidewalk as well as providing additional loading space.

The flooring for the Reception and Library adds great warmth to the space.

Back to work....more later.

THE INSPECTORS

2009-02-05T08:29:00.002-06:00

As we work to wrap things up, the inspection process has begun. Inspectors from the City of Dallas, the engineering third party inspector and the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration have begun their work. We have passed the first two inspections of electrical and HVAC systems.

Below is the completed hand washing station typical for the classrooms.

Child sized toilets are standard to each of the 10 restrooms.

The glass inserts to the BAC doors.

Each of the seven units that heat and cool the building is managed by a programmable thermostat. These combined with the highly efficient equipment and insulation will make the building economical to operate and comfortable for the students and Guides.

THE ICE STORM

2009-01-29T10:19:00.003-06:00

The weather of the past two days played havoc with the ability of the electric company to complete the connection of permanent power to the building. We are hoping they are able to get back on track today. We can not complete the installation of the flooring in the school until the heat has been on for two days to allow the floor material for the Reception Room and the Hall to acclimate. This is required for proper installation.

In the meantime, the concrete flatwork contractor is moving ahead with the forming of the new sidewalks that are being placed in each courtyard. These are a requirement to allow equal access from classroom to playground for children of all physical abilities. Miss Sarah's courtyard is pictured below.

FINAL CHAPTERS

2009-01-22T14:21:00.004-06:00

Moving closer to completion...

Below, the Entrance to the BAC with the new lights and handsome red door.

The new fence is being stained and sealed. Notice how nicely it works with the color line on the main facade.

Just a reminder of what we used to have...

The classrooms are now very well lit with natural sunlight. The photograph does not really convey how bright the classrooms are now. Those are not light fixtures you see but rather skylights with lenses and dampers which allow for light control.

I have mentioned before the large amount of hardware involved in this project. Here is a glimpse.

Beautiful solid surface counter tops with stainless steel sinks are standard in the new classrooms. Here you see the child's height cabinetry with the sink for dish washing.

Stainless warming drawers will allow lunch to now be fully experienced with each classroom.

Self reliance is a critical part of the Montessori way of learning. Child sized toilets play in role in this philosophy.

More to come...

DON'T FENCE ME IN

2009-01-21T17:01:00.003-06:00

Unless it is with a fence as attractive as the new cedar fence surrounding the courtyards for the classrooms at MCHS. Many details are being wrapped up in these final days of construction including the staining and sealing of the beautiful cedar. If the wood is maintained the fence will give us years of use and provide an attractive background to the landscaping that will be added.

The countless bit of hardware, door closers, levers, hooks, pulls, grab bars, towel dispensers, door stops and more are all being installed. Here is a glimpse of the handsome stainless hardware on the cabinetry for the classrooms.

The iron fence has been completed which will provide sunlight as well as security. The gates are easily locked with keys and yet will allow easy arrival and departure from the BAC each day.

IRONMAN

2009-01-14T15:51:00.005-06:00

Well maybe I should say IronMen since the fence installers arrived today to begin the work of installing the iron panels for the fence in the front of the BAC. The new iron fence has a powder coated finish (which is terrific). Powder coating is a type of paint that is applied to the iron dry, then has an electrical current passed through it which causes it to flow over the material providing a smooth and consistent finish. The fence is glossy black.

It also provides an open and airy approach to the BAC. Using a material which follows the contour of the retaining wall is also a new feature. These spindles each have a dimpled twist which allows them to adapt to the position in which they are welded. Very nice stuff.

The electrical work is moving along nicely. The decorative exterior lights now have their lenses and the hanging fixtures (along with the many exit signs) have all been installed. The school is looking great.

The door hardware is nearly complete and the grab bars are installed. The 190 cabinet pulls should be delivered on Thursday and then the installation of this hardware can begin. We will soon measure for mirrors and order the fire extinguishers and paper towel dispensers. The design for the flagpole base and arrangement of the bricks which acknowledged gifts by earlier donors has been completed. The paving contractor has now been scheduled to begin on the new parking lot and repairs/re-coating of the driveway. There is no limit to the number of details, large and small, that make up a project such as this one.

Now that the transom has been installed over the new front doors, we can see how bright the new reception area is. This light combined with the light flowing in from the SolaTube above will make task lighting seldom needed. This is a big change from the old desk that greeted visitors in the past.

The vinyl flooring tiles are being installed. Above you see an insert in the BAC. Each set of inserts within a space are unique with the central insert being a balance of the group. The colors are really beginning to come together with each additional step that is taken toward completion.

The stain color has been selected for the cedar fencing and we are meeting with sub-contractors to begin the process of pricing the work for the sidewalks that will link each classroom with the playground.

We recently had a brief tour by the board and hope that all of you are as excited about the way in which we have reused the leaded glass inserts from the old front doors. We believe they have never looked better.

Have a great day!

PS. It was just pointed out to me that I keep including pictures of the Reception Desk. I can't help it. It is one of my favorite areas so bear with me ;-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-01-09T07:07:00.008-06:00

Back from a really wonderful trip to Tokyo to celebrate New Years and I am delighted with the progress that has been made by Dale and his team at MCHS. What would a vacation be without photos! But I will only inflict one of them on you. Below is yours truly on a crystal clear day at Mt Fuji. We were fortunate enough to be blessed with perfect weather for each of the 11 days we spent in Japan.

But enough of the travel slides and on to business at hand. Below you see the new doors which will welcome students and visitors to the school each day. The transom above coupled with the skylights fill the Reception with soft light

The interior painting is now 99% complete with only minor touch-up work to be done. The work performed by Rolando Vargas has been really superior. We could not be more pleased. You can also see that the ceilings are now enclosed. The bright white when paired with the brightly patterned floor will create a wonderful background for learning.

The 'above ceiling' inspections of the electrical and mechanical work has been completed and passed. The electricians are currently installing all the surface mount fixtures and will be installing all the breakers as well. The School is currently operating on temporary power and will soon have the permanent power connected.

Now the job of hardware installation begins. Over 650 cabinet pulls and almost 200 coat hooks are waiting to be installed. This in combination with the door knobs, grab bars, towel dispensors and mirrors really finish off the spaces.

Many of the counter tops have been installed including those for the new Laundry. This large, well lit space is a huge change from the small closet which existed before.

The new Reception desk , Guide Resource Center and Director's Office are all now complete with cabinetry and counter tops.

The plumbers are setting sinks and faucets currently. The flooring installers (who have a huge job ahead of them) will begin the prep work on Monday. Getting the old concrete slab ready to accept the vinyl tiles is no small feat. Then laying over 8000 sq feet of material one square foot at a time will also be a very big job with the specific pattern placement that must be followed. Once the flooring is complete, we will begin installing the large appliances. The warming drawers are being installed at this time.

Things are a bit dusty here at the end, but once the flooring is installed and the interior properly cleaned, we are confident that parents and students alike will be delighted.

While we will post a few teaser photos, we will likely keep the final product a bit 'under wraps' until the complete unveiling. Expect that very soon. But do check back for project updates. Again our wishes for a very happy 2009!

WHITE CHRISTMAS

2008-12-18T11:17:00.002-06:00

Well not exactly but we did get some sleet which makes things outside a bit messy but inside the work continues on.

The painters have completed all the priming of cabinetry, cubbies and mouldings as they prepare to begin applying two coats of enamel to everything. As you can see from the small view of the BAC cubbies, there are lots of them to have been primed, sanded, caulked and filled.

In addition to the cabinet boxes, there are doors, drawers and hundreds of adjustable shelves. Since these are all very high quality custom cabinets, the shelves are not interchangeable and each must be marked to be replaced into the cabinet from which it came. The primed cabinets for the Guide Resource Center are pictured below.

The BAC cabinetry is now ready for enamel.

Here you see the huge amount of dust that is generated in the sanding process. The sanding is all done by hand, then then dust must be removed to avoid problems during the spraying of the enamel. You can also see the masking that occurs around the woodwork and cabinetry. The paper is applied in a tight light around the area to be primed. The Library is pictured below.

The SolaTubes are really amazing. Even on a very dark day the Reception area is still very bright.

As we prepare for the Holiday break at MCHS the work will continue. The countertops have all been ordered and are in production. Dale Buchanan, Ancon Project Manager, will be running things totally while I take a two week vacation. I will make one further post before heading to Japan for the Christmas and New Years but then the blog will go a bit quiet until I return January 7th. We will have lots of exciting things to share!

THE WALL

2008-12-15T10:01:00.002-06:00

The painters are continuing to make great progress in the interior of the school. Unfortunately the lighting does not really work for photography since we have to keep the solatubes covered. I also have to stay out of the fumes which are pretty intense.

However during the beautiful weather this weekend, they were able to complete the priming and painting of the long wall that borders the driveway. When I first recommended this, some were concerned that it may make the area seem to narrow. However, it actually disappears now which has had the effect of enlarging the space.

The strong neutral colors on the schools exterior allow us to use a small shot of strong color on the outside of the exterior doors. The satin nickel door hardware is covered for protect it in the photo below (we don't really had red door handles).

We have approved the custom mix paint colors for the cabinetry and cubbies so enamel work is next on the interior painting list. We hope to have photos for you on this later this week.

Stay Warm!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

2008-12-09T18:04:00.004-06:00

Beast indeed. Today certainly felt like the first day of Winter here in North Texas even though it is a few weeks away. But the beauty is the continued progress the Ancon team is making at MCHS.

As the clouds first rolled in SolaTube installers were continuing with the work they had begun on Monday. First the fixtures are exactly placed in the ceiling grid. The exact centers are located. This is then translated up and through the plywood roof deck and shingles. As you may remember from earlier blog post, there are lots of things for these installers to avoid, a/c ducts, trusses, conduit and security wires. So the installation is no small thing but the results are really dramatic.

Once the fixtures are exactly located, the installers must cut through the insulation that covers the underside of the roof deck. We showed the insulation earlier but the photos do not do justice to the thickness of the material. This you can see below in the 'plug' that was removed to allow the mirror finish tube to pass through. This portion is almost 12" thick.

The classrooms all have dampers/dimmers in the tubes to allow for the control of the sunlight. In this way the electric lights will seldom be used in the classrooms.

Below you see the domes that allow the sun to pass into the tubes. You also get a glimpse of the new courtyard fencing and the Nandinas in their fall colors. The exterior painting is almost complete (except the doors).

The electricians have been busy finishing up all the work above the ceiling grid and placing the boxes for the electrical service to enter the building. These are on the north end of the BAC.

Here is the new fence on the East side of Miss Toni's courtyard. Once it is sealed, the landscape will be installed as well as the new sidewalk area.

The HVAC contractors are also installing all the supply and return grills into the ceiling system. There are a lot of them which will keep the classrooms a consistent temperature without hot or cold spots.

Wednesday is the last day for a while the multiple tradesmen will be working in the building. We will then turn it over the painting contractor so that he can continue his work without interruption. This will insure the best possible job.

THE DAY AFTER

2008-12-05T13:03:00.003-06:00

...the completion of the cabinetry installation the painters are in full swing. They are currently removing all the cabinet doors and covering all the drawer hardware so that they may begin applying the primer to all the new wood work. The last portions of the interior carpentry trim are being done today just ahead of the industrious painters.

Planning ahead is always a good thing. One of the requests from the staff was that we provide extra deep window sills (called windows stools in the industry) so that the children may place small plants on them. We have done exactly that.

While the work moves ahead inside, the outside is moving on as well. The demolition required for the new universally accessible sidewalk has been completed. The fence installers have now placed the posts for the courtyards and will be moving ahead next week. The iron, chain link and wood fences are all included in the next step of our exterior work.

And what would the blog be without an update on the Library. It is really a wonderful space.

THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS

2008-12-05T08:40:00.004-06:00

It isn't really a secret. A great team makes it all work.

The ceiling grids are almost complete which now allow us to have the Solatubes installed as well as fittings for the HVAC system as you see below. This image also indicates the final placement of the cubbies with clear access to the Children's Kitchen. Most of the interior doors are also in place.

Speaking of cubbies, the final sets have been installed in the BAC. You can also see the half light doors that will allow classroom observation without interruption.

With the bulk of the interior carpentry completed the painters are now working hard to prepare the millwork. Sanding, caulking and filling all occur even before the priming begins. Then the painters go back and start the prep for the application of the finish coats. One of the crews are shown working in the BAC.

A glimpse at the many systems that will be hidden behind the new ceilings.

Even without the heat being on, the insulation is keeping the building far more comfortable on these cold mornings then might be expected. I am as excited about the new operating systems for the building as I am the Library (we all have our 'hot buttons').

RISKY BUSINESS

2008-12-02T09:09:00.003-06:00

Risky business indeed. Yesterday was gutter installation day. With the colder temperatures came high winds which made carrying and installing the seamless one piece gutters very difficult. Especially on the South side of the building. Imagine attempting to put up a single aluminum tube 80' long in the wind. But the installers did it and the gutters look great. The section you see being prepared below is tied into the drainage system to help keep Miss Sarah's courtyard dry.

The kitchen and storage cabinetry has been installed in the classrooms with the top trim in place. The cubbies are being assembled in single large units and are being set as well. The quality of the cabinetry selected by the Board is really extraordinary. With drawers that fully extend and are supported by heavy ball bearing drawer guides, we can expect them to really perform. Dovetailed drawer boxes will last easily the lifetime of the school. German engineered adjustable hinges will make maintaining the operation and appearance of the cabinets themselves possible. No more sagging doors that fall off! As you can see below, there is no shortage of enclosed storage for the classrooms. The assorted mismatched cupboards have seen their last days.

The custom cabinetry for the Director's Office is also now in place. From Miss Christa's desk she can easily see everything. The office also allows for comfortable meetings with parents.

Miss Tamara's desk in the reception area is also in place. The sun-filled reception room is ideally suited to her bright personality.

So many great things are going on. Work continues at a great pace under Dale Buchanan's leadership. There is not a day that goes by that something new and exciting is added. We are very excited about the exterior painting. Once complete we will certainly post the photos here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2008-11-27T09:54:00.002-06:00

Before I head out to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I wanted to update the MCHS family. A lot of great progress was again made this week.

The interior doors have all been delivered. As you can see there are a lot of them! The new doors to the class rooms will have a large window to allow observation of the children without interruption. The slightly lower light levels in the halls combined with the reflective film will provide parents the opportunity to see the great work going on inside without causing a disruption.

The front doors have also been delivered. The double doors have three windows in each with a very large transom above. The water glass in the panes is really handsome. The transition from the porch to the interior of the school will be a really dramatic one. The noise of Abrams is quickly left behind as our attention is fully directed to the beautiful Nature Area at the rear of the new light filled space.

The cabinetry has all been completed and is being installed. Below you see the computer station in the Guide Resource Center.

While it appears that the Guides have a very large kitchen area, actually the bulk of this cabinetry was designed to contain the many supplies and colored papers that are used in the creation of study materials.

Self reliance is a big part of the Montessori way and the child height cabinetry plays a part in that. Dale Buchanan, the project manager for the MCHS renovation, stands along side the hand and brush washing sink outside the restrooms in Miss Jeanne's class. As you can see, the cabinetry barely reaches his knee making it perfect for the students.

The classrooms will now each have its own kitchen area as well as a huge amount of storage for the materials that were formerly held in a series of mismatched cabinets. The lower section of cabinets is for post luncheon clean up performed by the children. A warming drawer will reheat the hot lunches and a dishwasher will really make the classrooms fully self-contained. The new refrigerators will complete the kitchens.

The painters are doing a really terrific job. The exterior body color in now in place (the grey blue is primer) and they have started on the soffit and fascia. The interior walls are all primed and have at least one coat of color on them. This was done prior to the installation of the ceiling grid which is set to begin on Monday. Once the grid is installed the sola-tube installers will be coming in to install the many skylights. A lot of great things are going on in the next few weeks.

The final grading has been done. It will be fine tuned a bit by the lanscapers. We are meeting with the asphalt contractors on Friday and Monday as we continue to move ahead.

All of us at Ancon wish you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving!

THE NATURAL

2008-11-18T11:27:00.007-06:00

is the best way to describe the skill that Dale Buchanan, your MCHS project manager is bringing to the job. There is no one in my professional experience that can keep things moving so beautifully. I am very proud of our team. Currently the following are all happening at the same time...

The electrical completion above the new ceiling line as well as the build out of the electrical in the Laundry/Mechanical Room as seen below.

The drywall finishers are wrapping things up in record time. We expect to have the tape and bed work complete this week with the texture being applied on Friday. The image below is the view from Miss Christa's office into the Guide Resource Center.

Miss Jeanne's classroom is currently flooded with natural light and will be even better once the SolaTubes are installed. This work is set to begin next week. Mirror lined skylights with a dampener system to control the light will create a great environment with tremendous flexibility.

Miss Toni's cabinetry would not fit inside the storage containers we have on site, so we placed them in the center of the class and wrapped them to keep them clear of any drywall compound. As you can see, when stacked together, they make a pretty impressive pile.

Miss Lynne's classroom shares the great view of the nature area and will have a new courtyard space that takes advantage of the shade from the tree line at the edge of the playground. You will note that the sheetrock is running about 8'6" up the wall. This is slightly above the height of the suspended ceiling system we are installing. But since we have fully insulated the walls and roof deck, the attic space will be far cooler than any you may be familiar with reducing our operating costs in winter and summer.

Regular readers as well as all the MCHS Board members know that I am a bit Library crazed. This is one of my favorite spaces in the new school. I don't know a single great man or woman that is not a reader and including this new dedicated area where books are readily available yet treated with a type of respect is so important. While many of us get our news and information from the internet and may even read on hand held devices, there is something about the tactile experience of holding a book and discovering the language between the covers that will always be exciting. The Library space with its raised ceiling and spaces for the built-in bookcases is seen below.

The new reception area is coming along as well. Miss Tamara's built-in desk serves as the boundry between the Reception Room and the Gallery which serves to bridge the North and South Classrooms. With the view into the trees and the natural light provided by the skylights, this core area will be a great introduction to the quality of your new MCHS building.

The exterior stucco has been patched and replaced as needed and the new finish coat is being applied. The entire school exterior will essentially be brand new. The view of the West facade is below. The top coat has been applied here and the masons are working on the East facade as well.

East facade is nearly complete. Once the stucco is finished we will continue with the exterior painting.

The school also has some really great details on the exterior hinting at how great the interior will be. Below the beamed celing of the BAC Porch has been primed and will be painted in a two-tone color scheme.

While the photo does not do it justice, there is a handsome detail that occurs between the columns and the lintel at the Porch roof as well. The proportions of these elements were carefully studied to create a harmonious assembly while relating to the mass of the existing building.

Don't be alarmed. The battleship grey color is primer for the top coats to come. These are nothing like the final colors except in their intensity. The primer serves to make the top coats cover better and last longer.

The many modifications of the South facade are now invisible since the finish coat is being applied.

Next week, we return to the really exciting changes. SolaTube installation, cabinetry installation, walls will be primed and a lot more.

It just gets better and better!