New Dryden School is cruising along

News — 30 November 2010

Dryden will soon see the opening of its newest school located behind the current Riverview School. With an opening date scheduled for September, 2011, construction is on schedule.

The new school will house approximately 460 students, and the facility itself will be over 48,000 square feet. Included in the facility will be two computer labs, a special education area, a double gym that is regulation size for tournaments, as well as change rooms and a stage.

There is also a huge library, 12 classrooms, 4 JK/SK classrooms that include a separate entrance and in-floor heating, and three specialized rooms for art, drama and music.

Included in the new structure are First Nations additions, to incorporate the diverse cultures coming together in the school. The student common area will be sided with glass in the four First Nations colours including red, yellow, black and white. There are also special engravings within the hallway floors such as a beaver, a buffalo, a feather, to symbolize the seven First Nations teachings.

With a very energy efficient design, the school will have a special air exchange system that will also monitor CO2 levels, and include displacement heating which will eliminate most noise from the heating systems.

Improved lighting systems will be added, with motion sensors and light harvesting, and will also include water reduction practices, and utility monitoring with the inclusion of a photovoltaic power system.

Technology will be just as advanced in the new structure, with amplified sound systems for each classroom, and whiteboard with SmartBoard technology.

The facility will have reduced carpeting and special polished concrete flooring to reduce the amount of chemicals needed for maintenance, and houses additional millwork and has some beautiful character in the open beams within the school.

Landscaping will see reduced asphalt, better drainage for runoff, enhanced bike racks and walkways, group areas, LED parking lot lighting and limited car plug-ins.

By Ally Dunham

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