New Berlin wins classroom redesign competition

Jacksonville Journal-Courier April 29, 2023

Ninth grader Ty Miller answers questions about the new classroom with the help of paraprofessional Lindsey Prather.

By Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree

NEW BERLIN — As the students in the New Berlin High School special education class walked into their classroom Friday morning, they walked in to see a new classroom.

New Berlin was one of three finalist to be awarded a classroom makeover from KI. a national furniture maker. The school received $40,000 worth of furniture.

New Berlin High School principal Hattie Llewellyn designed the classroom with functionality and adaptability in mind.

"We have two students in wheelchairs, a teacher, four aides, a total of eight students," Llewellyn said. "There hasn't been much space in the room."

The classroom is just under 500 square feet.

"It is very tiny and close corners," Llwellyn said. "We've made due with some adaptive equipment. The accessibility for our students is increased."

The remodel brought color and more adaptively to the classroom.

Each piece of furniture can be adapted, from the adjustable tables, to the spinning chairs.

"I like the colors and the spinning chairs," said sophomore Morgan Bandelow. "We had rocking chairs before. And it was really crowded."

Sophomore Carson Bauman said he also like the it feels more open.

"The old classroom had more shelves and was more claustrophobic," Bauman said.

There are also more sensory stations, which are areas for the students to go and decompress if they are feeling overwhelmed.

The New Berlin special education program works on teaching students life skills that will help them succeed after graduation, such as self-care and cooking.

Currently, the students use other labs in the school for some of their lessons.

The new classroom design helps incorporate some of those skills.

Though the furniture will only be in the classroom for about a year as it will be moved into a new classroom once construction on a new addition is complete.

New Berlin will be undergoing construction beginning this summer to add to the school. A new classroom for the special education class is included. Llwellyn said the designs for the classroom were intended for the new classroom.

The new space will be roughly 794 square feet.

The school's contractor, BLDD, suggested the competition.

Llwellyn said she was thrilled with the participation of the community that voted for the school to win. They were selected from nearly 500 entries.

"Our classroom is included in the plans for the new addition," Llwellyn said. "With the equipment we've been awarded we can do more. The new space probably would not have been what it is going to be without this prize."

The new addition is expected to be completed in January 2025 and all items will be transitioned to the new classroom, including some items that are being held until the new space is completed due to the space of the classroom.

View Original Article