Mostly landscape work...

I'm very far behind in updating this blog.  So much has happened and a lot has changed at school in the past year. Sometime in 2012, lockers were bought and installed in the main hallway upstairs.

 

A bookshelf was set up in the library and the books were organized.

Water fountains were installed upstairs and downstairs.

 

This spring the elevator was put in place and is now in working order. 

The basement plywood walls were painted white and trim was laid along the ceiling and floor.

In May, there was another work night at the school.  Rubber mulch was added to the swing set area, a flower bed was made on the side of the building, and gravel was added to the driveway. 

 

This fall, we've been doing more landscape work around the place.  This bank was leveled out and seeded.

These yellow posts were put up to protect the cement slab.

 This retaining wall was built on the side of the building and bushes were planted above it.

The flower bed on the other side of the building was planted with shrubs and small trees and was mulched.

Quite a bit of dirt was moved around to flatten out this spot for the basketball/volleyball court which we plan to have concreted before winter.  A few trees in the grove were cut down and dirt was spread over a lot of the bank and the grove.  So once again, we had to have a number of work nights to grade, seed and straw the ground. 

 A group pulled weeds out of the sand on the ball diamond.

While there machines all on the premises anyway, they cleared a path to where the graveyard will be.

 Here's a view of the front of the building.  The main parking lot is in front of the building and the secondary parking lot is to the right.  The steps on the right were just put up in the past few weeks.  The group of trees on the left background is what we call the grove.  Eldersville Road runs along the left end of the picture.  The ball diamond and soccer field are behind the building.

Here's a view of the back of the building from approximately home plate on the ball diamond.  (click on the picture for a larger view.)

More recently, some trees have been planted in front of the building... and the work continues.

School's in session!

     So much has happened in the past few months.  The morning of August 29, 2012 found the school rooms decorated and ready for the first day of school.

     Recently, some major improvements were made outside... Slopes were smoothed out and grass was planted.  The driveway entrance was paved and the driveway and parking area were improved with gravel.  Boundary lines were burned on the playing field.  Handicap parking signs were put up.  Extensions were added to the ship play-set and it is now complete with slides and swings.
     Inside, mirrors were installed in the restrooms.  The ping-pong tables were painted and four-square lines were painted on the floor in the basement.  Cabinets and a large utility sink were installed in the kitchen.
     Before we can obtain a permanent occupancy permit, the elevator needs to be installed.  Lord willing, it should be completed by the end of the year.

Completion

On August 2, a number of people showed up at the school building to install and paint shelves, finish some trim work, install partitions in the bathrooms, and paint and finish the doors.

 

 

The chalkboards have been installed as well as the vanities in the restrooms and a few bulletin boards.  Thursday there was another work night at the school to clean up inside and out in preparation for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 29.

 

The classrooms and restrooms are completed and ready for school.  We still need to install drinking fountains and lockers in the hallways, improve the parking lot, install the elevator, work on landscaping, finish the kitchen, and more. 

 

We appreciate your interest in our school.

Of Shelves, Moving, and Chalkboards

     On Wednesday, July 18, there was a work night at the new school building.  We cut and painted a whole bunch of shelves for closets...

...did odd jobs...

... and loaded up school supplies, desks, and other things from the old school building and brought them to the new school building.  There we unloaded the trailer and carried things inside to the classrooms.  Despite the rain, there were many willing helpers.

    
     This past week, the three chalkboards arrived. They were unloaded at the school building Monday night but have not yet been installed.

Progress Report

On June 14, we had a work night at school.  We washed windows, installed window screens, put up directional signs, etc.

A few weeks ago, carpet was laid in the three classrooms upstairs and in the library.  Toilets were also installed in the restrooms upstairs.  This past week, shelves for the closets were cut.

There are still a lot of things to be done like buy lockers, finish the kitchen, spread more gravel, set up chalkboards and bulletin boards, install the elevator, obtain water fountains, carpet the walls in the basement, etc. Since a number of those things can wait, we will primarily work on painting and installing the shelves, finishing the trim, installing vanities and partitions in the restrooms, and painting and finishing the doors.

Our school teachers, Matt Kratzer, Fonda Overholt, and Yvonne Stoltzfus, will be coming in the end of July to organize and put their new classrooms in order.  We are hoping to have a lot of work done by the time they come.

We are in!

In the past few weeks, progress has continued in the new school building.  A ship playset was donated to the school by a generous local neighbor and was installed at the school on May 31.

We have now relocated from this building...

 ...to this building! Praise the Lord!

     

 

The school's basement is not finished yet and the upstairs still needs some work.  Last week the building was inspected and we were granted a temporary occupancy permit!  On Saturday night, we had work night at the new building to mop floors, clean, and set up chairs.  On June 3, the first church service was held in the new building. 

 

Thanks to each of you who has supported us in various ways.  We praise God for his awesome blessings.

More progress has been made on the school building in the past few weeks.  The restrooms downstairs are  now in working order with toilets, sinks, and running water.  Trim was installed and puttied.  Vinyl tile was laid upstairs in the hallways and restrooms.  Hand rails were put in place by the staircase.

On Wednesday, May 16 there was another work night at the new school building.  The trim was sanded and painted.  Closets and other details were painted.  A few men worked on the indoor plumbing.  A lot of clean-up work was done in preparation for our first formal service in the new school building.

Graduation was held in the basement of the new building on May 20, 2012. The building easily accommodated the 120 people in attendance.  We are hoping to have our first Sunday morning church service in the new building on June 3.

We praise God or His continual blessing and provision.