Summer 2016 Renovations
Excitement builds as the latest round of MAPCS renovations nears completion. With a focus on creating a secure, welcoming environment for the students to take pride in, this summer saw many changes in the cafeteria, stairwells, front entrance, and especially the gym. Turning MAPCS into a 21st-century school for students has been the goal for Managing Director Marvin Hardin and Operations Manager Heather Hesslink. They have played major roles in completing this phase of crucial and critical renovations by the start of the new 2016-2017 school year.
The entryway will have two entrances, one for students and one for staff and visitors. The new student entrance will feature its own screening area, away from public view. Mr. Hardin incorporated this change to allow students more privacy during the screening process. Additionally, creating this new entryway opens the flow of traffic, making arrivals and departures more manageable. A security Kiosk has also been added to the staff and visitors entry, which along with keeping tabs of who is entering and exiting the building, will serve as a map to help visitors navigate MAPCS. The two new single-stall bathrooms in the cafeteria serve a welcome addition to the school, as students will no longer need to use the restrooms on the 2nd floor.
On the first day of school, students will see the most significant changes made to the gym. Ms. Hesslink, wanted the renovations to create an authentic, warm, and welcome gym space for the students. Some significant changes include adding lights, fixing the ceiling, refinishing the floor, painting the school’s logos and mascot to the floor, and adding bleachers and a scoreboard for home games.
Since the opening of the Maya Angelou Learning Center in 2014, all basketball games were hosted at opposing schools, as the gymnasium redesign was shelved for other renovations. Several years in the making, this new, sleek, and modern gym will be ready for the first day of school and ready for competitive play. With a new mascot and a new court, the gym aims to re-instill pride in the MAPCS Rebels and serve as a center for school spirit for the entire Maya family.
–Alessandra Dreyer