More than four years after closing abruptly because of mold, the Cheltenham School District’s new 180,000 square-foot, ultra-modern Cedarbrook Middle School marked its rebirth with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, August 22..
Superintendent Dr. Wagner Marseille, school board president Julie Haywood and Cedarbrook Principal Marcy Hockfield offered remarks. Architect Tom Gilbert of nationally renowned Gilbert Architects presented Hockfield with a commemorative key. Following the spoken program and ribbon cutting, community members, , local elected officials, township administration and leadership from school-based parent organizations, in addition to teachers and staff from across the district enjoyed building tours and refreshments.
What emerged after the building was striped to its steel columns, joists and elevated floor slabs and a subsequent renovation was a 21st century school with flexible design, open spaces and 100 percent daylighting. The LEED silver-qualified building boasts a new gymnasium, well-equipped auditorium with seating for more than 700 and re-imagined library, now referred to as the “learning commons.” The building can hold up to 850 seventh and eighth graders.
The district will also rolled out one of the 40 propane-powered buses serving the district. The propane buses offer savings in fuel consumption and maintenance, in addition to cleaner-burning fuel and a reduction of hydrocarbons and emissions. The Propane Education and Research Council estimates swapping a diesel school bus with a propane school bus will reduce emissions by 11 percent.
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