Assistant Principal Alex Dworzanski of Lehigh Elementary School stands next to the new plaque on the front of the new school off of Schoolside Court. The building replaces the old Lehigh Elementary School which was demolished for the new school, which will be open to students next month. Photo by Mel Toadinve

Teachers are “chomping at the bit,” is the way Assistant Principal Alex Dworzanski put it the other day when he talked about moving into the all new Lehigh Elementary School off of E. Third St. on Schoolside Court in Lehigh Acres.

The school, the first publicly built school in Lehigh, back in the 60s, was demolished all for a few small buildings a year ago and a new school, the most technology state-of-the art school in the county, is set to open to students in mid August when the 2009 school year begins.

Teachers at the old Lehigh Elementary School have had a couple of “walk throughs” while the new school on the same site has been constructed. But come next week on July 17, the school will be open to the teachers to come in and set up their classrooms.

“They’re a happy bunch,” said Dworzanski. “We’re like a family here at Lehigh Elementary and we all are so happy with this new school.” Dworzanski has already moved his office in as has Principal Dwayne Courtney.

Workmen were still on the outside of the new complex last doing final jobs at the site.

View from stage of large cafetorium. Photo by Mel Toadvine

For nearby residents, it has been a work in progress. First is was the demolition of the buildings by giant claws last June of 2008. Then it was the school’s footings being erected and each day progress would be notice all the way up to a few weeks ago when they paved the parking lots, planted beautiful tall palms. They were planning to put the name of the school atop the entrance late last week.

And Dworzanski said they were also planning to erect their “signature sign” showing the school’s mascot, a cub.

Dworzanski said special grand opening of the school will be scheduled later this summer and will be announced in the Lehigh Acres Citizen. He said the opening would be for parents and students and all other residents in Lehigh who have had a relationship with Lehigh Elementary School. Dworzanski said he attended school there when he was a young student. There are former teachers who live in the nearby neighborhoods.

“We just want to bring everyone back to show them our new school because they were all a part of Lehigh Elementary School,” Dworzanski said.

Prior to Lehigh Elementary School’s opening in 1964, there were three houses in town that the old Lehigh Corp. had given to the community to be used as schools. At a point, it became necessary to have a larger school and the county erected Lehigh Elementary School.

Teacher Diane Elswick stands in one of the new rooms at Lehigh Elementary School. Photo by Mel Toadvine

“But you know, they didn’t have air conditioning for the school when it first opened?” Dworzanski laughed. “Can you imagine that. They soon got it though.”

Everything is new at Lehigh Elementary School.

First off, Dworzanski said the new school is twice the size of the old school and is one of the largest buildings in Lehigh now only behind Wal-Mart. The new school has some 148,000 square feet.

He said the school was built to eventually house 1,100 students. Presently he said the enrollment is at 850 kids when school opens. There are 58 classrooms in the new school but some will remain empty and used as the school’s population grows. There are five elementary schools in Lehigh now. They include the new Hipps Elementary School, located in the old Kmart building which has been a staging schools for the past few years and where Lehigh Elementary teachers and students moved to while the new school was being rebuilt; Sunshine Elementary, Mirror Lakes, Harns Marsh.

Before the old school was demolished, school officials were using 14 portable trailers to house students.

Front of the new Lehigh Elementary School

“I know the teachers are very happy that we do not have them any more.,” he said. “But at the time, it was the only way the school board could accommodate the number of students attending the school.

All 50 teachers of the school are moving back, Dworzanski said. “Some of our teachers have been teaching here for 30 years,” he said. “That’s why we are like a family. We are all friends and we care for one another and for our students and their families,” he said.

Parents of students who attend Lehigh Elementary School can pick up free food at the school on the weekends. The food comes from the Harry Chapin Bank.

The technology at the school is nothing but amazing. Teachers will be using “white boards” that interact with computers. A teacher can stand at the front of the class and with her fingers move things around on the screen, point out things, make them larger, etc. Most have seen such technology on CNN on TV where TV anchors do the same thing on large screens by standing in front and interacting with the screens using their hands. CNN began using such technology during last year’s elections.

“Our school district is to be complimented for brining this technology to Lehigh for our kids, especially in these difficult economic times. It’s wonderful for Lehigh,” Dworzanski said.

Photo shows new server line and kichen in the back at the "new" Lehigh Elementary School on Schoolside Court off of Richmond Ave.

Diane Elswick, a rough grade teacher at the school, said teachers are really excited about the new school and the “little extras” that are included such as a restroom in most of the classrooms. She also noted that the school’s color is blue and that has been used throughout the school. Classroom desks for students are partially blue. Carts in the media center are blue. Colors of the walls are blue and even the carpets throughout the school are a shade of blue to compliment the walls.

Students who are returning to Lehigh Elementary in August won’t believe how much larger their cafetorium is. The serving lines and kitchen are all new with stainless steel.

The kitchen resembles a large restaurant with all its equipment.

At the end of the cafetorium is a large stage, much larger than the one at the old school. The benches are blue to go along with the overall color theme.

Dworzanski said that in the former school, it took four hours to feed all the students. He believes will take half that time because the cafetorium is twice as large.

The media center is several times larger than the small area in the former school. There will be room for more books, more seating space and there will be computers in the center for research.

This is in addition computers in the classrooms.

Joe Bilardo, the technology supervisor, whose responsibility it is to keep everything working, said the school is on the “cutting edge”

“We have the best equipment. We have digital video and all that goes with it. We can now broadcast the school TV station to every student’s computer desktop. I can truly say Lehigh Elementary is the most technical advanced school in the county,” he said.

The exterior of the school is a sandy color. A couple of the older smaller buildings in campus were not torn down because the condition of the buildings was good, but the interiors were completely redone over.

“We can’t wait to show off our new school to everyone. I think the kids are going to love it here,” Dworzanski said.