Here's an inside look at the renovated Grandview Heights School

Nate Ellis, ThisWeek
·4 min read

The renovated Grandview Heights High School will be open to students upon return from winter break Jan. 9, and the district will hold an open house two days prior.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house is scheduled for 11 a.m. Jan. 7 to celebrate the reopening of the school, which is the culmination of seven years of facilities study and planning, with the plans being put into action after voters in November 2018 passed a $55.25-million bond levy to fund the construction of a new 4-8 building in Larson Middle School, the renovation of the high school and safety and security upgrades to Stevenson Elementary.

Chris Deis, chief technology officer, discusses renovations Dec. 5 at Grandview Heights High School. An open house is planned for Jan. 7, two days before students start attending the renovated school.
Chris Deis, chief technology officer, discusses renovations Dec. 5 at Grandview Heights High School. An open house is planned for Jan. 7, two days before students start attending the renovated school.

GHHS students have been attending classes at Larson Middle School, and middle school students have been at the old Edison Intermediate/Larson Middle School. Middle school students also will move to their new school starting Jan. 9.

According to district officials, an open house for the new Larson Middle School took place Aug. 14 and won't be part of the ceremony; however, the public also can take one final look at Edison Intermediate/Larson Middle School on Jan. 7.

Following some training exercises by the Grandview Heights police and fire divisions, Edison Intermediate/Larson Middle School is expected to be demolished beginning Jan. 25.

"We're beyond excited," Superintendent Andy Culp said. "This high school is 100 years old, and it's been totally re-imagined."

Here's a look at the tech/engineering shop at Grandview Heights High School as renovations continue Dec. 5.
Here's a look at the tech/engineering shop at Grandview Heights High School as renovations continue Dec. 5.

On Dec. 5, crews from Elford Inc. and the company's subcontractors still were working at the high school while district administrators gave a sneak preview of the building to ThisWeek Tri-Village News.

Among the upgrades to the high school are the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps at the main entrance, at the rear of the auditorium and on both sides of its stage, as well as several other areas.

"Never in the 100 years this building has been open has a person in a wheelchair been able to get in the front door," Culp said. "Now, you can."

Here's a look at the main office front desk at Grandview Heights High School.
Here's a look at the main office front desk at Grandview Heights High School.

Several hallways are wider after the removal of lockers have been removed, and new windows have been installed to allow roughly 33% more natural light into the facility, Culp said.

"It's just about the learning environment," he said. "There's a correlation between natural sunlight and a positive disposition.

"One of the definite improvements is natural lighting."

Here's a view of an art room. New windows have been installed throughout the building, allowing for about 33% more natural lighting.
Here's a view of an art room. New windows have been installed throughout the building, allowing for about 33% more natural lighting.

Additionally, the new building features classrooms with "huddle" spaces that allow students to break out to separate areas to work individually or in small groups or to meet privately with teachers.

The classrooms also have overhead, garage-style doors that enable teachers and students from neighboring classrooms to work collaboratively.

Chris Deis, the district's chief technology officer, noted STEM courses ‒ science, technology, engineering and mathematics ‒ will be held in one wing of the high school, as opposed to being spread out to allow for easier collaboration.

In addition to being ADA-compliant, the auditorium has a new stage floor and sound system and light-emitting diode lighting.
In addition to being ADA-compliant, the auditorium has a new stage floor and sound system and light-emitting diode lighting.

"These larger spaces are for things like Science Olympiad, First Robotics, First Lego League," Deis said. "There's one central vacuum system.

"As you can imagine, over decades and decades and decades, a lot of things (in the old high school) were pieced together. Having things that aren't pieced together and are built purpose-designed just elevates everything."

Much like the added building security with the new vestibule at the high school's main entrance, Deis said the renovations allowed for the construction of secured rooms that will house the building's internet infrastructure.

Here's a look at the gymnasium as renovations continue Dec. 5.
Here's a look at the gymnasium as renovations continue Dec. 5.

"We literally were installing technology in cases on the (hallway) walls to try to make everything work," he said. "Now, we have secure rooms for all of our technology.

"We have four of these. Everything runs off the internet now."

Deis also said the media center has been recreated into a more open space with more natural lighting and a green room for digital media projects. Each classroom also will have 75-inch to 86-inch TV screens and sound systems so teacher instructions can be heard throughout the entire learning spaces.

Chris Deis, chief technology officer, shows ticket booth room outside the gymnasium that is covered with signatures from students over the years. It is one of the few areas of the school left intact during renovations.
Chris Deis, chief technology officer, shows ticket booth room outside the gymnasium that is covered with signatures from students over the years. It is one of the few areas of the school left intact during renovations.

In addition to classrooms, district officials hailed upgrades to art education spaces and areas for extracurricular activities, including the band, orchestra and choir rooms, as well as the gymnasium, wrestling room and fitness room.

The first official event at the renovated gym will take place at 7:45 p.m. Dec. 28, when the boys varsity basketball team plays the first game of the Bobcat Holiday Tournament.

In addition to being ADA-compliant, the auditorium has received a new stage floor, a new sound system and light-emitting diode lighting throughout the room.

Honeycomb-shaped lights hang over a commons area Dec. 5 as renovations continue at Grandview Heights High School.
Honeycomb-shaped lights hang over a commons area Dec. 5 as renovations continue at Grandview Heights High School.

"These light panels, the features on the right and left sides, are new," Culp said. "These sound panels are new. The glass balcony and railings and ADA accessibility from back-of-house are new.

"It's gorgeous. This space has been transformed. The seats are the only thing that's original and that stayed. Literally, every other inch of this space has been totally touched and painted and remodeled and replaced."

nellis@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNate

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Grandview Heights Schools to unveil new high school at Jan. 7 ceremony