After months of construction, Lake Hazel Middle School is now — partially — renovated. Students now have more classroom space, upgraded hallways and bathrooms plus more robust building infrastructure.
"They are just, they are beautiful like it exceeded all expectations," says Cara Hinkson, Principal of Lake Hazel Middle.
Lake Hazel's staff and students are enjoying the newly renovated wing of their school.
"So we took two large CTE rooms that were built when the building was originally constructed in 78-79. We ended up with five classrooms, so we netted three new rooms. They're all updated, and they're all beautiful," says Hinkson.
Phase One of renovations, which opened to students in November, focused on one wing of the school. Phase Two will start over spring break, aiming to update the gym and renovate more classrooms.
"And then the first day, like the kids walking through it, it feels like they're in an airport or it feels like they're at a different school or [it] feels like, 'are you sure this is like Hazel? Why is this so nice? We don't need... we don't deserve something that nice.' Oh baby, but you do," says Hinkson.
"So they told the kids, like that's our room and they go, 'What?! That's our new room? It's amazing," added Hinkson.
The engineering classroom was upgraded with new furniture and expanded electrical outlets, and the career technical education classrooms were grouped together for easy access.
"But it's great for kids, and it's doing amazing things for them, and it's awesome to watch the change and see how happy they are when they get to come in the new space," says Hinkson.
Another upgrade focused on mimicking natural sunlight.
"Natural light we know is so good for our brain, but because of how we were built— exterior windows are not an option everywhere that we are," says Hinkson.
Interior rooms are now fitted with special lights that change color and brightness throughout the day in sync with conditions outside.
"And so those rooms look like they have an exterior window, even though they don't," says Hinkson.
Cara says students and teachers are embracing the new upgrades.
"They're proud of it. They're proud to come back to it. They are proud of where they are," added Hinkson. "That's the other part of it: we're proud of our facility in a different way than we were before."
