Bethlehem School $41,000 classroom makeover is complete

By ANGELA FARR KING
Mrs. Danielle Ortiz, fifth grade teacher at Bethlehem Elementary School, is proud to show off the new furniture in her science and social studies classroom that she won in a national contest, but she isn’t more excited than her students. They beam with excitement when visitors enter to see how their classroom has changed.

The first very noticeable change are the student desks. They are on wheels with high backs for comfort and movement. The desks are on a swivel bar that can easily be moved from left to right depending upon which hand a student is most comfortable writing with. They can even be swiveled to the back so students can work in a standing position.

Mrs. Ortiz said this type of versatility with seating works well for students who need to move or stretch during the day. She said it also allows students to move into groups quickly. If she chooses a cooperative grouping activity, they can literally roll their desks together in minutes facing each other. They are also very comfortable to sit in, even for adults.

Ortiz also received large cabinets with countertops and stools, which she has placed at the back of her room. She said her students use these mostly for their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) projects. These can be rolled out into the center of the room if needed. The cabinets are great for storing a variety of science tools and equipment.

She has also received six large white boards on wheels. She plans to use these more next year when students are working on projects in cooperative groups. There are two sides to each board so students can be brainstorming or problem solving on each side.

Even Mrs. Ortiz’s teacher chair is new. It is a raised chair with a large rectangular desk that can sit high or drop down low with a modesty panel in the front. She can easily sit at the front of the room and hold the attention of her students, although Ortiz does not sit much.

When asked what the best part of having new desks was, Jamison Curtis replied, “Well, the old stuff was pretty raggedy. We had rectangular desks with chairs and a lot of our chairs had rusted bolts and they were breaking. I learn better in this new desk.”

Kira Abernathy said, “I like my desk because it moves. If I can’t see the screen, I can roll closer. You can move your desk wherever you need to for (optimal) learning.”

Grayson Hamby said, “Other desks would shake and make my handwriting scribbly, but these don’t move.”

Paisley Lichty said, “When I feel antsy, I can switch my desk so I can stand up and write.”

Mrs. Ortiz said the whole community got involved when she entered the contest with Krueger International (KI) Inc. to win the classroom makeover. She said this Wisconsin-based firm gave out four classroom makeovers and Bethlehem won for the entire East Coast. She credits the community supporting her class for the win.

She said all students at Bethlehem will eventually sit in the classroom because the fifth grade teachers change classes. That means every child coming up will have a chance to benefit from this classroom makeover and Ortiz feels like that’s why the community was so invested.

TEACHING CLASS — Danielle Ortiz, a fifth grade teacher at Bethlehem Elementary School, is excited about the new furniture that has been delivered to her classroom. Ortiz won the furniture in a contest put on by Krueger International, Inc. Ortiz is one of only four teachers nationwide to win a full classroom furniture makeover. She is seen here in her new state-of-the-art teacher chair.

PORTABLE WHITEBOARDS — Creed Price and Sophia Lynch are showing off the new portable whiteboards in Mrs. Ortiz’s classroom. They were part of the $40,000 classroom furniture makeover Ortiz won by submitting a design plan for her dream science classroom. The community rallied behind Ortiz and her students by voting daily and making her classroom the only winner on the East Coast.

MULTI-USE DESKS — Savannah Smith is modeling one way to sit in one of the new desks in Mrs. Danielle Ortiz’s fifth grade classroom. These desks are made to be mobile and the desk platform can easily be switched for a right-handed or left-handed student. It can also be switched to the back of the chair for a student who needs to stand to work. The fifth grade students are very excited about their new furniture.

Bethlehem Branch Library Gearing Up for Summer Reading

May was a busy month at the Bethlehem Branch as they celebrated Mothers with an outdoor meal and music under the gazebo. They hosted a Bethlehem Elementary artist reception on Tuesday, April 23, and a poetry reading by Lenoir Rhyne students on Thursday, April 25.

The staff is gearing up for a busy June, especially with the kickoff of their Summer Reading campaign. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” and children and adults can sign up at the Alexander County Library, the Bethlehem Branch, or the Stony Point Branch.

To register at the Bethlehem Branch, children and adults should drop by the library located at 45 Rink Dam Road to fill out a registration form. In conjunction with the Summer Reading Program, families can drop in every Friday between 12 noon and 5 p.m. for a free craft kit.

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