[title subtitle=”WORDS Brittany Ransom
IMAGES courtesy Van Buren School District “][/title]
While all other campuses are essentially shut down, Van Buren’s Oliver Springs Elementary School is bustling. The site is entering the final phases of construction in preparation for the 2020-2021 school year. District leaders continue to press on, hopeful that the community will be able to celebrate the school’s opening this summer once the COVID-19 crisis has passed.
Community support has been a driving force behind the project. VBSD announced that it would construct a new school on the north side of town in 2017, following the passage of a millage increase in the previous year. Additional support came in the form of a land donation. Eleven acres were gifted to Van Buren School District (VBSD) by Dr. William and Sharlene Gaither of Richardson, Texas. The Gaithers owned the property for several decades, but the region itself has been a part of their family for more than one hundred seventy-five years. The donated land sits directly across from what was the Gaithers’ family farm, which was passed down through multiple generations. To complete the campus, VBSD also purchased an additional ten acres on Northridge Drive, for a total of twenty-one acres.
“We are very excited about the opening of Oliver Springs Elementary School,” said Superintendent Dr. Harold Jeffcoat. “With so much residential development taking place on the north side of the interstate, adding another K-5 campus has been a need for many years. Oliver Springs is an absolutely beautiful campus and a very nice addition to our school system and community.”
The first new school to be built in nearly a decade, Oliver Springs Elementary School will help accommodate continued growth in the northern part of the city. The nearly 60,000-square-foot structure has two levels. Lower grades will be housed on the ground floor, while classrooms for the upper grades will be on the second story. A large gymnasium sits on the west side. Playground equipment will soon be installed on campus grounds. The building is also equipped with modern classroom technologies and safety features. Secure check-in and video monitoring systems will be utilized by office staff. As with all VBSD campuses, Oliver Springs will also employ a full-time school resource officer.
Construction of a new campus required a rezoning for elementary students. District leaders consulted its various stakeholders for guidance on the new zones. Parents, staff, and city leaders helped advise on where new lines would be drawn. The district worked to create zones that would help ease traffic congestion, primarily along busy roads such as Pointer Trail and Highway 59. The new zoning map was released in February and families impacted by the change were notified at that time.
“We know that moving to a new school can be an emotional experience for students,” explained Jeffcoat. “Our administration took that into account throughout the rezoning process and worked hard to make this transition as seamless as possible for everyone.
“We appreciate the city’s help and our Board of Education’s leadership in this matter. We are also grateful to all those in the community who provided input, and to our families for their cooperation.” The existing schools most directly affected by the opening of Oliver Springs are City Heights and Parkview Elementary Schools. Because a large portion of Parkview students live in the northernmost parts of town, many of its current student body was rezoned to the new school. District leaders opted to transfer Parkview staff to Oliver Springs, as well. “We felt that it was best for everyone – students, staff, and parents, alike – that we try and keep the Parkview staff together, as best as possible. While students will be adjusting to the new building, most will at least be alongside teachers they already know and love.”
Parkview Principal Summer Cox is excited to begin her new role as principal at Oliver Springs. She looks forward to moving in the building with her staff and to welcoming her pupils this August. “I am excited and honored to be a part of opening Oliver Springs Elementary School! Opening a new school will be a positive experience for our students, staff, and for our community as a whole. The new building is wonderful, and I cannot wait until it is filled with students, staff, and learning!”
City Heights, which was built more than sixty years ago, will officially close as an elementary campus this June. For continuity, its staff is relocating to Parkview, as will the majority of its student body. Most will have little time added to their commute or bus route, as the Parkview campus is located less than a mile from City Heights. Although City Heights will no longer operate as an elementary school, the district does have plans to repurpose the existing structure.
It is an exciting time for the Van Buren School District, and district leaders are eager to share the new school with the community who helped make it happen. Originally, administration had scheduled tours for the students and staff. Open houses for key community groups such as civic leaders and the Chamber of Commerce were also planned. Because of COVID-19, all tours have been postponed indefinitely.
“As soon as we are able to do so, we will schedule an open house for families zoned for the new school,” shared Jeffcoat. “Hopefully, we will be able to coordinate tours for the rest of the community, as well.” Van Buren’s persistence in completing the Oliver Springs campus is a prime example of its new slogan, #PointersPressOn. Following the announcement that schools would be closed for on-site instruction through the end of the year, VBSD released a video urging all Pointers to persevere during this challenging time. The district is proud of how its students and staff have navigated the challenges of at-home and virtual learning, but Dr. Jeffcoat and his fellow VBSD staff are looking forward to the day when everyone can return to the classroom. “Before you know it, we’ll be back to school, together again.”
Stay up-to-date on their progress! Follow along on Facebook and Twitter @OliverSpringsVB.
