GCS "Building Futures"

Eastern High - Home Again


Less than two and a half years after fires destroyed Eastern High School, the doors are opening on the 270,000-square-foot facility. But it couldn’t have happened without the help of thousands of people.  “After the fire,” Principal Travis Reeves explained, “more than 1,000 people stepped up to help out. Whether they gave $1,000 or $10, everything helped get Eastern back on its feet.”

 

The District Relations department can attest to that. Cecilia Adams, manager of community partnerships, explained: "A few weeks after the fire, I was on the phone with the community relations manager of a large company looking for a donation of picnic tables for the Millennial Campus site. After several days of phone calls and e-mails back and forth, the picnic table request turned into a donation of a considerable amount of money."

 

Throughout the process, the outpouring of support from the community was overwhelming. Citing the magnitude of the loss, the Greensboro Grasshoppers and president and general manager Donald Moore donated $100,000 toward recovery efforts. In all, the community contributed more than $675,000 to Eastern, including $250,000 from Lowe’s Home Improvement. In addition, thousands of dollars worth of supplies were donated, including a computer lab from Dell and a semi-truck filled with school supplies.

 

In the wake of the fire, people worked day and night to get students back in the classroom as soon as possible. The student body initially split up into two campuses – one at GTCC-Greensboro and one at the Millennial Campus at Bryan Park in Browns Summit.

 

Once the sites were determined, the Transportation department jumped into action. Buses had to be re-routed and redirected in order to get students to the correct facility at the right time. In addition, shuttles had to be organized to transfer students between sites, as well as to off-site locations for athletic practices and other school-related activities.

 

While the GTCC site was mostly ready for students, the Browns Summit facility required a great deal of retrofitting. As a school for deaf students, the facility did not feature an emergency alarm system, so district workers moved quickly to get the site up to code. In addition, a number of technology upgrades were necessary in order for teachers to make the most of their lesson plans.  

 

Pam Brown and her team from the Instructional Technology department were instrumental not only at Brown Summit and GTCC, but also when the campuses reunited at the pod village. For the new school alone, the team was responsible for setting up more than 200 new computers, four computer labs and configured 21st century classrooms. Between daily walkthroughs for the last two weeks to ensure a flawless transition, the team set up Voice over Internet Protocol phones that allow staff to check their voicemail through their e-mail.

 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) played a significant role in getting students back in the classroom, too. Robert White recalled how his team put everything on hold and dedicated their time to Eastern. They helped set up the Brown Summit site, doing everything from ordering equipment, unpacking computers and even setting up computers. When the students moved to the pods, White and his team helped design the layout. The CTE department made certain the teachers would have everything they needed to teach the curriculum, and they even made runs to the hardware store to pick up power cords.

 

As the construction progressed on the new school, White and his team were instrumental in working with the project team to make sure the new classrooms have all the bells and whistles to help students learn. In addition, CTE made sure the electrical and technology hook-ups are conducive to the layout of the classrooms. The Facilities and Maintenance departments certainly played key roles since the fire. Maintenance Director Gerald Greeson said his teams have been key fixtures at the new site, including maintaining the pods, making the decks skid-proof, helping with construction irrigation and cross-checking fire codes.

 

On the Facilities side, the fire obviously changed the perspective of the department which handles all new construction in the district. But according to Andy LaRowe, executive director of Facilities, the fire also changed the district’s approach to new construction. Through a method called “Construction Management at Risk,” the district was able to select a contractor before the final project was bid out.  “By having a contractor on board,” LaRowe explained, “we had already set up the pod village, done the demolition, started the grading and began installing the utilities by the time the final design was complete.”

 

In addition, Construction Management at Risk breaks a project into smaller components, which allows more underutilized businesses to participate. LaRowe cited high numbers of Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation at Eastern High as a testament to the method’s benefit to the district and the community it serves.

Eastern High, based on the same design as Northern High, also incorporates many of the green building features that GCS is utilizing in new construction to keep operating costs down and conserve energy. The new school, built using pre-cast panels, incorporates natural daylighting, automated lighting, a rainwater catchment system, high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

At the site of the fire, Barnhill Construction took on the daunting task of rebuilding. Subcontractors worked all hours to complete tasks, and Guilford County even devoted an inspector to the Eastern site to help expedite the process. The project team, comprised of Board of Education members, construction representatives and Eastern faculty and staff, played a key role in making the new school their own. Reeves cited the blue and gold found throughout the school as just an example of how the new building radiates Eastern pride.  “The project team has been very effective in making good decisions for our school,” Reeves said.

 

While people worked day and night to get students back in class, local organizations did what they could to try to keep the children’s lives as normal as possible. GCS School Nutrition Services helped ensure students had meals, even in situations where dining facilities were not available. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro Sportsplex, Gibsonville Parks and Recreation, Northeast High and Eastern Middle shared their facilities. Remarkably, with no “home” site of their own, the Eastern wrestling and girls basketball teams finished as conference champions this year.

From the fire to the split campuses to the pod village to the opening of the new building, Reeves credited the flexibility and great attitude of the Wildcat students, parents, staff and faculty as a unifying force. In addition, the Board of Education’s decision to reunite the student body at the pod village was key to maintaining school spirit. “I think that was an excellent decision to bring us back together,” Reeves said. “They put us on one campus where we could use our own athletic facilities and the middle school facilities. I can say unequivocally – it was a good decision.”

 

Pam Dawson led the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) in recovery efforts, and today, that same PTSA can see the fruits of their efforts. With special brick pavers and a digital sign, the new Eastern facility exemplifies the power of teamwork.

 

During the last two and a half years, many people have pitched in and have done whatever it takes to make sure Eastern students have every opportunity to learn and achieve. Reeves credits the flexibility and willingness of his staff to the success of the school: “Eastern teachers have been instrumental in making this successful. They have been flexible and bent over backwards to give these kids a great education regardless of the facilities.”

 

Eastern students have shown remarkable maturity throughout the process, and now they can finally call their new building home. The students lost more than just their belongings in the fire; they lost their way of life and their sense of routine. But they never lost the spirit that unifies them.

 

Former assistant principal and current district athletic director Leigh Hebbard recalled the days after the fire: “Everybody pulled together and pitched in. We had people from all corners of Guilford County to really pitch in, and without them, we wouldn’t be able to move into a new building. It really showed the community effort and family atmosphere that defines Eastern High.”

 

 

In compliance with federal laws, Guilford County Schools administers all educational programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination because of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, disability or gender, except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.  Refer to the Board of Education's Discrimination Free Environment Policy AC for a complete statement. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the Guilford County Schools Compliance Officer, 120 Franklin Boulevard, Greensboro, NC  27401; 336.370.2323.