Pardon Our Dust: Ed White

Pardon Our Dust: Ed White E-STEM Magnet

Dear Ed White Families,

There has been a stunning physical transformation taking place at Ed White this summer, all of which will come together for our first day of school with our youngest Satellites on Monday, August 16, 2021. Students in grades 1-5 will begin school on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.

First opened in January of 1965, Ed White gleamed as a fitting design for the time and the surrounding community which was largely comprised of astronauts and NASA employees and contractors. As a student joining Ed White for the first time in 1968 as a kindergartner, I entered a world that was ripe with the smell of crayons and paste. The building’s interior design consisted of two non-colors, black and white. Black doors, black cabinetry, white walls, white pillars and a white, speckled terrazzo floor throughout. Over the years, the school has received updates and four different additions placed on the east end of the building. There was much about the old building that was easy to love; it felt homey, you could staple anything anywhere, we were comfortable in it, like an old shoe that just slips on.

Now it is time to experience the new shoe, the one that goes faster and jumps higher and will care for Ed White students and staff for the next 50 years. It is designed to fit the way we teach and learn in a 21st Century learning community. Some highlights include a purposefully designed STEM Lab, a designated “Maker Space” in the library and a new school store/PTA meeting room. The cafeteria has an expanded kitchen and serving line and a special eating area for families. Teachers will be excited to not only experience new teaching spaces, but for the first time there is a designed room to hold our literacy library. Teachers will also have a new room for their own learning, grade level storage spaces and a lounge with a view. We will all celebrate additional adult bathrooms located in convenient places for both teachers and parents. New lighting, skylights and a nice variety of flooring is installed throughout the building. Parents will also note that the office and main entrance to the school is now on the East end of the building along with expanded parking and a holding road designed to move cars off the streets allowing for better traffic flow within the neighborhood.

As we begin school, the construction team will continue its work to complete several aspects of the project. Gradually, the number of contractors will dissipate until there are none. The remaining pieces of furniture will arrive, and we will look forward to celebrating at our Open House in October. In addition to Open House, the dates and times of events like, “Meet the Teacher”, “Parent Nights” and other important items – like how the car rider line works and where hikers and bikers will enter the building, will be relayed to parents.

Our new home was designed by IBI Group Architects. It was a joy to work with Jenny Bright, IBI Project Manager, and her boss Danny Brewster, Director-Office Lead Houston, who brought design to CCISD. Jenny’s creative eye can be seen throughout the building. I first want to thank Paul Miller, director of facilities. I have truly appreciated his patience with me, his focused attention on our project and his ability to move mountains over the past two years. He has much on his plate, and we always felt as if we were his priority. I also want to thank Holly Hughes, assistant superintendent of elementary education, for her experience and understanding how principals and staffs need to be supported during this type of change; a better boss you could not have. I especially want to thank the two individuals that we worked with most closely. Kendall Weirich, Division 1 Construction job superintendent; he truly understands how to work with a school principal navigating all the needs of staff and students while working his team within and around all the little people. He can also tell a really good story. A personal thank you goes to Bruce Dahms, construction project manager for CCISD. From my point of view, he was the center pole, the one that all of us leaned on. He has an amazing work ethic, the ability to work with anyone and the patience of a saint. The Ed White project was a challenging job, a true jig saw puzzle. He was the right person to get us through the multitude of challenges. I have truly appreciated his friendship. Mostly, I want to thank our Ed White staff and students for the patience, fortitude and immense understanding they have shown this past year in facing the challenges of construction, COVID and otherwise. They are simply amazing teachers and students.

More info to come! So, get ready to strap in, we finally get to ride the fun ride again! I am looking forward to seeing all of you on campus very soon in our new home.

Sincerely,

Matt Paulson

Principal, Ed White ESTEM Magnet

Ed White E-STEM Magnet School| Website