When school resumes this month, Turner Middle School students will be attending classes in a new building.
The old Turner Middle School at 1312 S. 55th St. was torn down this summer. Behind it is a newly built middle school.
The demolished building is the former Turner High School building, which was converted to a middle school in 2001, according to Lauren Aiello, Turner school district spokeswoman. The building was originally constructed in the 1950s. The new high school was completed in 2001 at 2211 S. 55th.
While most of the old building was torn down, the auditorium and gymnasium from the old building has been saved and will make the transition to the new middle school, after being upgraded.
“We’re excited to preserve some of the old building, along with having some of the new,” Aiello said.
The gym, she said, is particularly beautiful, and modern-day construction isn’t like that any more.
At the same time, the new building will have a lot of flexibility.
“The new building is just gorgeous,” Aiello said.
The new building will have a two-story open-space commons area that will serve as the cafeteria and a gathering space. There will be flexible learning space in this commons area.
Also, classroom and common space furniture will include flexible seating, opportunities to work together and have hands-on activities.
Some classrooms will have moveable walls, allowing classes to join together at times. They also will have a small group learning suite.
McCownGordon was the contractor on the project, and they also were the contractor for the high school building in 2001. Voters approved a $44 million bond issue in January 2019, with projects throughout the school district, according to Aiello.
Among the projects funded by the bond issue were the new middle school building, safety and security upgrades at all buildings, furnishings and painting at all buildings, better vehicle access for Turner Elementary, air conditioning at Turner Elementary, Midland Trail Elementary and Journey School of Choice, a new commercial kitchen at Turner High School for the culinary arts program, and district-wide heating, cooling, asphalt, concrete and roofing projects.
Aiello said an open house is planned for the new Turner Middle School from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, where community members and alumni can tour the new school facility. There also is a home football game that evening at the new District Activity Center, completed last year.
