Glen Oaks’ students are getting a lot more exercise these days running around and playing games inside the new and expanded gymnasium. The roughly 7,500-square-foot addition allows students to move around more freely and allows for additional games and activities.
On a recent afternoon, P.E. teacher Mike Kruszynski was putting his young charges through a spirited game of Capture the Flag. "This new gym is amazing,” Kruszynski said. "Student safety is always our number one priority and the additional space will provide for that (additional layer of) safety.”
“We could not be more excited about the new gym,” he said. “Students can focus more on having fun playing the games and less on spatial awareness.” There is also more space for equipment storage, a new scoreboard, six new basketball hoops that can be raised and lowered as needed.
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The Glen Oaks' gym nearly mirrors the new gym recently completed at Oak Ridge School. Teachers and students there rave about the new gymnasium.
The addition of the Glen Oaks’ new gym was part of a larger expansion project that included: the renovation and expansion of the school office; converting the old gym into a new library; converting the old library into two classrooms; adding six classrooms; expanding the kitchen and installing a stormwater retention vault to manage excess stormwater runoff.
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Kruszynski said the PE department is “so grateful when we walk into the space and the unlimited opportunities it has brought to our PE curriculum.”
Principal Carla Braun also expressed excitement and gratitude to the NPD117 Board of Education for making this “beautiful gym possible,” to Building and Grounds Director Dan Ford for all his support during the addition and renovation, to the community for “always supporting us and to our staff and students for all of their patience this school year."
Dr. Braun said students have been looking forward to enjoying the new gym and now it has become a reality! “The students get so excited for PE class,” she said.
