What was once a gravel lot with splintered picnic tables is now something for Sullivan Middle School parents, students and staff to brag about. At 6 tonight, the school will dedicate its Learning Commons, an area that has been transformed into an outdoor classroom and gathering place, with concrete walkways, an amphitheater, grass, plants and flowers. Sullivan Principal Bob Heath and his students, with the school chorus and band performing, will use the opportunity to thank volunteers for their efforts, which began almost two years ago. The project is not only cosmetic, it's academic, Heath said. School is a lot more than classrooms and books.
School is about the atmosphere.
If it looks shabby and rundown, then it doesn't lend itself to a child taking pride in where they are. The Learning Commons is a work in progress. The portion that is completed for tonight's dedication is the canteen and outdoor classroom area, which includes new benches and picnic tables. The long-term goal is to add an urban forest and meadow next to the school building, which is on Eden Terrace next to Cherry Park. Already, flowers bloom in the meadow, and 70 pine trees have been planted in the forest area.