Westgate Elementary School students and staff are adjusting to their new building after it opened last month, marking the end of more than a year and a half of planning and construction.
Principal Scott Becker said the response from the school community has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The initial reaction is just joy and excitement,” Becker said. “Anytime you’ve been planning and talking about this for over a year and a half, to be able to get in and finally just see it come to life.”
The new building features larger windows, taller ceilings and a streamlined layout. Unlike the previous structure, which Becker described as a “maze” of hallways, the updated design places classrooms along one long corridor, allowing clear visibility from kindergarten through sixth grade.
“In the old building, it was kind of a maze,” Becker said. “Now you can stand in the middle and see all the way from kindergarten to sixth grade.”
Kindergarten teacher Stacey Schnauber said the building’s updated color scheme — centered around the school’s “Gator green” — helps create a calm learning environment.
“The color scheme embraces our Gator green and gives a lot of different shades of green and just creates a nice, calm learning environment,” Schnauber said.
Students and teachers have also welcomed the separation of the gym and lunchroom, along with new lockers and expanded common spaces.
“The lockers are a huge plus,” Schnauber said. “It establishes independence for the students and keeps everyone tidy and organized.”
Safety was a key priority in the new design. Westgate was previously rebuilt after tornado damage, and the new facility includes a larger, dedicated storm shelter.
“We have a dedicated storm shelter now, which is much larger than what we had at the old building,” Becker said.
Construction required additional safety precautions, particularly around playground areas and heavy equipment.
“We had to talk a lot about safety with our kids,” Becker said. “There were playgrounds barricaded off, and we had trucks and equipment coming in.”
The move to the new building took place over winter break. Teachers donated furniture and materials that did not fit the updated space. Project Advocates, a consulting firm, worked with administrators and staff to ensure a smooth transition and minimize disruptions to learning.
“They facilitated our move, and any hiccups we’ve come across, they have helped maintain that everyday consistency with our schedule and learning,” Schnauber said.
While some community members expressed nostalgia for the old building, school leaders say excitement for the future outweighs any sadness.
“A lot of friends and families and community members came out and were very excited to go through the old building,” Schnauber said. “That’s really been kind of the only moment of pause for anyone.”
The new building is expected to serve Westgate students for decades to come, offering improved organization, safety and learning spaces.
