Prop L remodels Ladue schools

Ladue elementary and middle schools undergo renovations and remodelings

by Avery Anderson news editor

Reed, Old Bonhomme, Conway and Ladue middle school are all undergoing partial renovations, whereas Spoede elementary is undergoing a complete remodeling.

Lisa Schreiner is a gifted specialist teacher at Spoede whose classroom is a part of the second wave of renovations.

“For me, I haven’t been as impacted by the renovations because I’m in the second phase,” Schreiner said. “Since it’s a complete remodel, it has to be done in phases. It’s basically a process of tearing down places then moving people.”

Schreiner said that the remodeling was necessary because of structural integrity issues in the building.

She also said there were leaks and roof issues as well as challenges with the layout of the school. Now, the classrooms will be more open, allowing for teachers to work together more and students to interact and move into other classes. The remodel is similar to that of the high school’s, which began in 2018. Both remodelings caused a displacement and disruption of students as not only are they uprooted during the school year, but also because after the remodeling, the layout of the classrooms and halls changed entirely. Entrances at the middle school have been blocked off so no students can acess the front office.

“Teachers in the first phase had to pack up their room before winter break,” Schreiner said. “Then, before the students returned from break they had to unpack and set up their entire room.”

Meanwhile, the middle school and elementary schools are undergoing smaller renovations. At Reed and Conway, a new gym and storm shelter are being built with construction starting in May 2022.

At the middle school, there is a total renovation of the inside of the building as well as an addition to the outside. Though students have notbeen displaced from classrooms, disruptions are not unheard of.

“It’s affected my normal route to class,” eighth grader Josh Brown said. “And it’s put more restrictions on the building.”

The end date for the construction is contingent upon the amount of work being done at each school.

"The goal is to increase how we work together in the building," Schreiner said. "To bring everyone together." P