Moving up the street

Students renovate new offices for Cape's school board

By Callie Chitwood ~ Southeast Missourian

The pungent odor of new carpet and fresh paint is welcome by Cape Girardeau School employees moving into their new board office at 301 N. Clark Ave.

If the address sounds familiar, it's because the building is the former location of the district's vocational school. High school students in Bud Thompson's building trades class took on the project of renovating the building into office and storage space during the 2001-2002 school year.

"We're thankful for the kids that made this possible," said superintendent Mark Bowles. "It's such a neat deal that our board office itself was a learning project."

The new location is a huge improvement for school employees who have spent years combating space shortages in the old board office at 61 N. Clark Ave.

"We're extremely fortunate to have large offices so we can spread out," Bowles said. "Before, we were packed on top of each other like sardines."

The converted space boasts four conference rooms and houses offices for the personnel, business, special education, maintenance, food services and technology departments.

Former vocational classrooms were transformed into much-needed warehouses and storage space for maintenance and other departments. The building also has walk-in refrigerators and freezers for food service storage.

What used to be the culinary arts classroom now serves as an employee break room. The building is home to the adult basic education classroom. Caring Communities and the Missouri Mentoring Partnership are located upstairs.

Also upstairs is the board of education's meeting room, where monthly school board meetings will be held beginning in August.

"It's a beautiful place for us to conduct the business of education," Bowles said. "We feel we can represent the school district and the community much more favorably in the our new surroundings."

cchitwood@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

SAME PHONE NUMBER

The telephone number for the new board office will remain 335-1867, however, phone access may be difficult until Friday.