HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-03-11, Page 17Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - Page All
Wind and water make waves of opportunity
New Goderich
school to
benefit from
inspired spaces
The link between Goderich and its
historic ties to wind and water will be
the cornerstone theme as. the Avon -
Maitland District School boards moves
ahead in its construction of Goderich
Public School (formerly Robertson
Memorial Public School).
The concept of developing themes for
schools in Ontario began a few years
ago with the Greater Essex County
District School Board (Windsor area).
The aim of theme work in the building
and/or renovating of schools is to create
learning spaces which inspire the stu-
dents, in addition to being an excellent
instructional tool for teachers.
Themed schools integrate design ele-
ments into the bricks and mortar of the
building itself while continuing the
theme throughout the school using vari-
ous decorative design elements.
For example, Windsor's Talbot Trail
Public School's theme is "Exploration".
A Viking longboat measuring more than
six metres is suspended from the ceiling
of the lobby, while the latitude and lon-
gitude global positioning coordinates
are embedded in the floor.
Perhaps a compass could be
incorporated into the floor of
Goderich Public School
(GPS)?
Near Windsor the theme of
"Discovery" threads through
the Lakeshore Discovery
School where each classroom
entranceway is themed with
glass blocks displaying
Egyptian, Greek and Native
artifacts and two courtyards
planted with replica Carolinian forests
displaying a Da Vinci flying machine in
one and a flying dinosaur in the other.
How about a passive garden with Dutch
tulips for the newly named school?
The AMDSB didn't have to twist the
arm of ex -director Geoff Williams to
take a coordinating role in this initiative
as he became very interested in the con-
cept while attending an event with
AMDSB colleagues at the Greater Essex
board a few years ago.
"It was a concept that I was eager' to
continue with," said Williams. "It's a
new way of engaging the public and
creating an element of excitement for
the students as changes occur to their
learning environment".
It was felt that it would be a very neat
concept for the board to start developing
as we build new schools and renovate
existing schools.
The new school in the town
of St. Mary's design theme
will be Heritage, featuring the
town's historic and natural
heritage while allowing the
current and future students to
create their own legacies.
Wind and Water have been
selected as the theme for
Goderich Public School.
The theme is a natural fit for
Goderich.
Our town's history and chal-
lenges with wind and water is ' well
documented, and, while we're still
writing the book on new technologies
and environmental conservation efforts
involving those two elements it is
clear that the theme will make Goderich
Public School unique among the other
schools in the area.
"It would be a school that the whole
town could be proud of," added
Williams.
While he's just into the early stages
of coordinating the school's design
Geoff has approached the GDCI art
department to help create a geometric
mosaic mural for one of the new addi-
tion walls.
A more professional artistic addition
to an existing wall in the old wing is
planned, plus a new gallery of archival
pictures will take shape near the
library/computer rooms.
The wind and water theme will dove-
tail nicely with Goderich District
Collegiates Institute's Specialist High
Skills Major program around the envi-
ronment, perhaps creating some oppor-
tunities for projects between the two
schools.
As Williams proceeds with coordi-
nating efforts, there will be opportu-
nity for the school to partner with
community business, groups and orga-
nizations if they wish.
Always open for suggestions to the
wind and water theme, people may
contact Geoff Williams at: geofwill@
fc.amdsb.ca.
Williams believes that themed
schools are here to stay and will be
considered as an integral concept in
school infrastructure in the years
ahead for potential new schools and
reorganizing older schools within
AMDSB.
For Goderich it is hoped that the
students, staff, parents and community
will get excited about the new concept
for their new school as it helps to
build a new identity for the school.
Here's hoping that -when wind and
water meet to house the students of
Goderich Public School, our commu-
nity will catch the wave of excitement
and create a perfect storm of a renewed
spirit of learning from the past while
creating a footprint for the future.
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