A collaborative group, representing a cross-section of the population, worked on design and features for five years. A theatre for musical and dramatic productions, an art gallery featuring a different artist each month, and a state of the art computer infrastructure that includes a Local Area Network connected to the district Wide Area Network were included. Located in the center of the new structure is the media center. The media center is also home to the broadcast studio, the publishing center, and the hardware for the school wide computer network. Each classroom has two or three multimedia computers with direct access to the Internet through a T1 line.
Grant writing is encouraged as a way to meet the diverse needs of students.
In what was described by the Department of Education as their most competitive grant competition in history, Cannons was awarded a 2.6 million-dollar grant, The Three Faces of Need, to transform Cannons into a community learning center. The school now provides after-school programs for first through fifth graders, Saturday activities for children and parents, and summer classes for children that integrate the visual arts, physical education, music, and technology into the basic academic curriculum. Adult education, parenting, and pre-employment skills training are available during the day with babysitting, a meal, and transportation provided. Our entire building is handicapped accessible. We offer inclusion education to enhance the academic skills and social skills of our learning disabled students.