FORT SILL, Okla. (Jan. 22, 1015) -- For over 50 years, Sheridan Road Elementary and Geronimo Road elementary school staffs have taught Fort Sill children.
In May, both schools will close their doors one more time and come together as one to open the door at Freedom Elementary.
For many, this process began four years ago with the announcement of the plan to build a new, large school for all elementary children here. Since that time, the staffs of the two schools have been preparing to merge.
Though each school has faced its own challenges and prepared for the move in separate ways, the memories each teacher, administrator, and staff already entwine them as one united family.
"I don't really have one favorite memory, I just have lots of memories that are just there," said Mikel Shanklin, principal at Geronimo Road Elementary School. "It's just all one big memory. I remember things from Sheridan and things from here (Geronimo), things from 20 years ago. A lot of good memories."
Shanklin has been principal at Geronimo Road for four years and was principal at Sheridan Road for many years before that. She has worked alongside Sheridan Road's current principal, Cheryl Scammahorn, as well, which has made a lot of the transitional planning easier.
"As of May first we are coming together as one," said Shanklin. "Many preparations have already been under way to ensure that as we come together that, hopefully, there will be few problems. We've already created a Freedom planning team, a Freedom hospitality team, we have done a lot in professional development together. Both schools have been trained in literacy first. So it's not about one school or the other school, it will be about two schools coming together as one. Work has already been under way over the four years to make that an easy transition."
"Getting settled into the building will be a huge adaptation," said Scamma-horn.
One can plan for the logistics of how to make something work, but it's going to be a challenge to bring the feeling of hominess into such a large building, she said. The sheer magnitude of such a large building will bring a new set of challenges, something that the planning teams hope to alleviate by working together.
"Planning schedules such as [physical education], music and computer labs. Getting the children out of cars and into busses, these are the things we think about," said Scammahorn. "It will be a challenge on how to make it all work and how do we work in such large teams."
With an estimated enrollment of over 1,100 children, bringing together all the teachers of each grade will be crucial in becoming one school, said Shanklin and Scammahorn.
The building itself adds a new dynamic in bringing a higher standard of education to the children. It will feature two gymnasiums with retractable basketball courts and full scale performing arts stages. Two art rooms, music rooms, four computer labs and a large media center will give students more creative freedom and opportunities to express themselves. There are new technological touches such as water bottle refill stations and televisions for school announcements and events located in the hallways.
"The technology itself, the capabilities with the technology are going to be more than any other school in town that I know," said Shanklin. "A lot of things will be able to be done through interactive TV, I know we will have automatic lock down. The safety features in this building are awesome, with the safe rooms, the lock down, the check in. You can literally lock just one part down if needed."
Sheridan Road and Geronimo Road are older buildings that lack much of the technology that Freedom Elementary will feature.
"It's a new place, new building. State of the art. We're all kind of excited about that," said Charlene Lawson, secretary at Sheridan Road. "We're used to having two plugs in the whole classroom and just having to make due with what we have like phones that don't work right, intercom systems that don't work right."
Despite its flaws, Sheridan Road holds a lifetime of memory for Lawson, who has worked in the same building for over 30 years.
"I've become really attached to this school," said Lawson. "I'm sure it's going to be for the best, but it's somewhat sad to think that I've pulled in this driveway for many many years and with pride every time I come to work, happy that I can say I work here."
Lawson said the biggest challenge she will face in the new school is getting to know every student, something she takes pride in doing at Sheridan Road.
Many of the faculty and staff at both schools feel similar to Lawson, having bittersweet feelings of combining in a new school.
Rita Hunter, first grade teacher at Sheridan Road, has spent 44 years in the same room.
"All the years I've spent here, in this building, in the same classroom ... that's home," said Hunter. "To leave the building, it's going to be different, probably exciting, bittersweet, but I really hate to leave. But, I wanted to experience being in the other building so I decided to go with the move instead of retiring this year. I wanted to experience new beginnings."
Hunter began her career in 1971, and has worked with Shanklin and Scammahorn throughout the years. She has been a part of the Black History Month committee and environmental committee at Sheridan.
"We did a lot of tree planting (with the committee). We have a rock garden in the back that started off with a tree right in the middle. Now that little twig is a full blown tree, that may be telling us it's time to move on. Our baby tree became a full tree so it's time to move to a new place and plant some new trees."
Shirley McCurdy has watched Freedom come to life over the past four years from her classroom at Geronimo Road.
"I think the school will be very nice, it will be very big," said McCurdy. "It will take an adjustment coming from a smaller school, combining two together and to have that many students and the logistics of it all, but it's very exciting. We've been told we would have a new school for many years so to see it actually happening is great. When they put up the first beam, I was out there watching I was so excited."
Students at both schools are feeling the excitment as well. At Geronimo Road they have been able to watch the progress of the building each day.
"We've watched the construction of this building being built right on our back door," said Shanklin. "The daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly progress as this building has just come alive has added to the enthusiasm of the students, the teachers, the staff and the parents. The excitment has never gone away because it's in our vision, our eyesight, it's there every day to watch the progress."
The closing of Sheridan Road and Geronimo Road for many is the end of an era. Teachers, staff and students will leave behind years of memories both happy and sad. But for most, Freedom is seen as a chance to begin a new legacy and create new memories together.
"I'm just living out my legacy almost until the end," said Hunter. "It will be a different experience going over to Freedom Elementary, but it will be a good experience."
"I think the children are excited. Everyone is looking forward to it, but also kind of wondering how it's all going to take place since we're moving during the school year," said Kim Shahan, counselor at Sheridan Road. "They will be with their friends, a lot of them had friends that go to Geronimo now but used to come here, so they are excited they get to be with their friends again and meet new friends."
Shanklin said she believes it will be an easy process of moving away from being known as Geronimo Road or Sheridan Road students and uniting them as Freedom Elementary School students.
"They are military children, they are resilient, always willing to make friends and they adjust easy," she said. "I really don't see the kids as being separated, I really think we will be coming in and we are Freedom."
Phase 1 of construction is scheduled to be completed in March when they will begin to move in new furniture. Phase 2, which will see the completion of F wing, will begin as Geronimo Road is demolished over the summer.
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