Combined school brings new opportunities in Oakwood
BY CAROL ROEHM NEWSROOM @ DANCOMNEWS . COM
OAKWOOD – The new school year is the beginning of a new chapter in Oakwood Consolidated Unit School District 76 .
The most significant change is that Oakwood ’ s 140 to 150 seventh- and eighth-graders now attend class in a brand new wing built this spring at the Oakwood Grade School , 408 S . Scott St .
Other changes in the district include a new system for dismissing children at the grade school / junior high at the end of each school day , and a brand new family and consumer science area at Oakwood High School which includes new kitchens that were completely funded by grant money .
The district serves 900 prekindergarten through 12th-grade students from Oakwood , Fithian and Muncie .
District officials broke ground Dec . 1 on what would become the new junior high wing at the grade school . The grade school previously expanded its footprint in the 1950s , 1980s and 2000s , making the latest addition “ the fourth installment ,” Oakwood Superintendent Larry Maynard said .
“ It was a horseshoe and now it will be an O , which is fitting ,” he said of the school building ’ s layout .
Discussions about the fate of the junior high building in Newtown started as far back as 20 years ago , according to Maynard .
“ We were so spread out with us being in Newtown , but the financial study at the time didn ’ t allow for it ,” he said of new construction . “ Now we had the opportunity to do something with federal funding .”
As technology became increasingly more important as a teaching tool during the next two decades , connectivity issues at the Newtown site stymied staff and students . “ Our kids struggled out there , and we had air quality issues ,” Maynard said . “ We have better connectivity and better air quality bringing the kids here ( to the combined grade school / junior high ).”
The junior high building in Newtown will be closed except for occasional use of
Oakwood Superintendent Larry Maynard points out the new junior high wing that was built this spring at Oakwood Grade School . Photo by Carol Roehm
34 OUR COMMUNITY — 2022