Whatcom Middle School to reopen with new interior

On Sept. 6, the familiar chime of class bells and students heading to class will echo down the halls of Whatcom Middle School. Students who attended the school before the fire in 2009 will return to a renovated building with a new library, water fountains and a higher ceiling in the basement.

Ruth Chartier attended Whatcom Middle School years ago and looks forward to sending her children to the updated school.

“They are only 6 and 8 years old now so Whatcom Middle School will for sure be open when they're old enough,” she said. “I just hope they won’t change too much so that I can share memories with them.”

The school’s exterior was largely untouched by the flames. No big changes could be made to the damaged interior due to the school insurance policy which doesn’t cover additions to the school building. This meant that modifications had to be done without any major expansions to the original building design.

The layout of the building before the interior overhaul did not meet the needs and "philosophy of a middle school," according to Jeff Coulter, principal of Whatcom Middle School and part of the construction planning committee.

“Middle school philosophy means teachers work in teams and share 100 to 120 students with a math teacher, a science teacher and several core teachers,” said Coulter. “We had teams but we weren’t able to accommodate proximity.”

Students traveled multiple floors to go between classes. Now the school is broken up around six open areas. These spaces have been designated as meeting places where students and instructors can gather for group activities.

Folding partitions between several rooms allow teachers to combine classes and work together with their student groups.

The library was moved from the southern end of campus to open up space for the class team areas. It is now located in the front of the building on the top floor.

The planning committee also improved constructional aspects of the building. The ceilings of the locker rooms located in the basement, once called “the catacombs” according to Coulter because the ceiling was so low, were raised to 10 feet. There are now drinking fountains dispersed throughout the school that once only had two working areas for water.

The biggest change will be bringing back students to the middle school. For the past year, Whatcom Middle School students have been split up and sent to three different schools.

"Whatcom being closed has been tough on the community,” Mark Schlichting, a former teacher at Whatcom Middle School said. “It’s going to be great for the kids to be able to come back to school in their own community.”

Sixth-graders were sent to Geneva Elementary; seventh-graders to Shuksan Middle School and eighth-graders attended Fairhaven Middle School after a time at Bellingham High School.

The other schools, however, did not have enough staff to accommodate the displaced students. Shuksan alone gained an additional 200 students. Whatcom teachers were then moved to teach at the different schools.

"They have been working and educating all kids in the district, not just from Whatcom Middle School. Contractually they have a right to a job and this allowed us to provide it,” Coulter said.

During the first year of school closure, Whatcom staff was still considered part of Whatcom Middle School faculty though they were teaching at different schools. But in the 2010-2011 school year, the teachers became part of the staff of the other schools. Many plan to return to Whatcom this fall.

“Restarting the culture the Whatcom will be an interesting process because we lost some continuity,” said Coulter. “The majority of the staff is returning, however, and they are really the keepers of the culture. This will help with the transition back.”

Parents who do not want to move their children to the renovated school will be subject to district transfer policies. Requests are taken in March and again in August. This is granted on space availability according to Coulter. There have already been six requests from eighth-graders attending Shuksan Middle School to remain at that school.

Students entering sixth grade will not remain at Geneva Elementary. The sixth-grade program was temporary for Whatcom Middle School students. The school will no longer accept grades over fifth as of this fall.

“Whatcom has been on Halleck Street for over 100 years and is part of the community,” said Coulter. “Everyone associated with the school is excited to have it back again.”