Category Archives: 2012 bond

Family-style lunch a success at Garden Oaks Montessori

When it’s time for lunch, Garden Oaks teacher Terah Kuhnen’s pre-kindergarten students take out their blue and white placemats and begin setting the table around the floral centerpieces.

She walks about the classroom, filling their trays with the lunch for the day. Once the children are seated, she begins to eat her own meal — usually the same food her class is enjoying.

This is family-style lunch, a program that was launched at the start of this school year in Garden Oaks Montessori’s Children’s House classrooms, where 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds work and learn together.

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Garden Oaks Montessori celebrates new additions and renovations

The Garden Oaks Montessori School gymnasium came alive Thursday when energetic students filled the new space to celebrate the school’s building dedication.

The room was decorated with balloon arches in the school’s signature green and yellow colors and students’ colorful artwork. The event celebrated the impact the new facility has had on student learning and included a spirited performance of “Congo to the Mississippi” by the school’s lower elementary students.

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Garden Oaks Montessori welcomes students into new facilities

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The first day of school after Spring Break is always busy, but for Garden Oaks Montessori students and staff, the day was marked with even more excitement thanks to the opening of new building additions.

Teachers worked through Spring Break to ensure classrooms were ready for students, while some parents even stopped by last week to give their children a chance to get acclimated early.

Garden Oaks Principal Lindsey Pollock said the first day had been hectic, but exciting. Continue reading

One new school, three new additions to open this month

One new school building and three school additions will open to students when they return from spring break on March 19. The campuses are part of HISD’s voter-approved 2012 Bond Program to rebuild or replace 40 schools across the district. Continue reading

Garden Oaks Montessori to finish out school year in new additions

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The Garden Oaks Montessori campus will be buzzing with activity over spring break, as construction wraps up on two additions and crews work to ensure the buildings are ready to welcome students on March 19.

Final interior touches are underway, and safety and lighting inspections are in progress. Furniture will be delivered in the coming days, and final cleaning and floor waxing will happen before spring break. Continue reading

Garden Oaks Montessori additions set for first quarter completion

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Construction of two new buildings at Garden Oaks Montessori is nearing the finish line as both structures, as well as the first phase of campus renovations, are scheduled to be complete next quarter.

In the new buildings, external masonry and metal panels have been installed, as have most windows. All interior walls have been inspected and now are being insulated and covered.

Much of the remaining work will focus on interior finishes, including installation of ceiling panels, drywall, doors, and other built-ins.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but the project has made great progress,” said Garden Oaks Montessori Principal Lindsey Pollock. “We’re planning to move in over spring break, and that’s very exciting.” Continue reading

New construction at Garden Oaks makes great strides

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Construction at Garden Oaks Montessori is gaining ground as the school’s two new building additions are more than a quarter of the way complete and renovations to the existing building are underway.

The construction of the two new additions are a key feature of the $26.7 million project, which is part of the HISD voter-approved 2012 Bond Program. Roof installation is complete on the two-story addition, which is being outfitted with doors and windows. On the three-story addition, steel work is complete and roofing is underway.

Renovations to the library and installation of the steel framing for the cafeteria expansion also are underway, and the new circle drive is halfway done.

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Garden Oaks Montessori gathers for groundbreaking

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Despite a stormy forecast, the weather cleared up just long enough Friday morning for the Garden Oaks Montessori community to officially celebrate the start of construction on their new addition and renovations.

The suddenly sunny skies matched the mood of hundreds of students, staff, and community members who took part in the groundbreaking ceremony.

“We have some sunlight, so let’s make the most of this beautiful moment in time,” Principal Lindsey Pollock said as she kicked off the celebration, which included student performances and a recitation of the Garden Oaks Creed.

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Groundbreaking ceremonies planned for Westbury HS, Garden Oaks Montessori

Westbury High School and Garden Oaks Montessori will hold groundbreaking ceremonies this week to celebrate the start of construction on their campuses as part of the voter-approved 2012 Bond Program.

Westbury is set to receive a new two-story addition and renovations to the existing building to accommodate 2,300 to 2,500 students. The new $40 million facility will feature 26 new classrooms that will replace current portable buildings, flexible learning centers, a commons area designed to serve a dual purpose as both a dining and gathering space, and two gymnasiums. New baseball and softball fields were included in an early phase of the project and already have been completed. Continue reading

Garden Oaks Montessori bond project team shares design plans with community

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Around 100 stakeholders of Garden Oaks Montessori turned out this week for a bond community meeting to learn about design plans to expand and renovate the 75-year-old school.

The crowd heard from the project manager, architect, principal, and trustee, and had the opportunity to ask questions.

“The community is excited about the new construction, and especially that we are also able to include renovations to our existing building in the scope,” said Garden Oaks Principal Lindsey Pollock. “The neighborhood has been tremendously supportive of the project.”

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