Decatur gets ready for new year
DECATUR — Students enrolled in the four Decatur schools had the opportunity to check out their new surroundings during the district’s open house Aug. 9. Students of Decatur Pre-K, Northside Elementary, Decatur Middle and High Schools were able to pick up their class schedules, get locker assignments and meet new teachers during the eight-hour session.
During the event at Decatur Middle school, students got the opportunity to see the progress on the new school gym for the first time. Because of ongoing construction, they were only able to view the new facility from the main entrances.
The hallways, office, nurse’s station, faculty lounge and concession areas were completed prior to the open house and ready for the upcoming school year which began Monday.
As the open house progressed
into the evening, the Decatur School Board was meeting in special session in the media center of the middle school. Prior to the meeting, new school superintendent Steve Watkins gave a tour of the new gym construction and office area to all five board members, providing updates along the way.
“All the new construction will wrap up within the next month,” Watkins explained. “Once the new middle school gym is completed in mid-October, we plan on playing all of our home volleyball in the new facility.”
Watkins also unveiled a new plan that will expand the new gym’s use beyond its intended sports and safe room role.
“In the new gym, we plan on holding our kindergarten and high school graduations,” Watkins said. “The gym should seat around 600, making it a little more comfortable for both events.”
This will eliminate the overcrowding in the cafeteria at Northside and Peterson Gym. The new gym will be air conditioned, which makes it ideal for the high school graduation ceremony which is held in May.
All four schools were open to students, their parents and other family members. This gave the parents a chance to meet and visit with teachers before the start of the new school year.