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The clock was ticking Wednesday as Teresa Richardson and a crew of teachers, workers and parents hustled to get the new Northern Elementary School ready for the arrival of students today.


How exciting is it to enter a new school with its pristine desks, immaculate lockers and never been opened desks? Join the discussion at the Debatables blog.


It was a little like getting ready for a dinner party, except in this case, the guest list consisted of 700 grade-schoolers.

There were floors to be mopped, shelves to be assembled, supplies to be stored. Richardson, the principal, found herself running around to work out the last-minute bugs that inevitably pop up.

"We can't have school without phones," she said.

But by and large, Guilford County's newest elementary school was ready to take in a group of students that have been split between Laughlin and Reedy Fork schools so far this school year.

A few details might not be in place today, but the essentials are there, Richardson said.

"I feel like we're in pretty good shape," she said. "The classrooms and the teachers are certainly ready."

Although the school, budgeted at $14.4 million , has the generic one-story look of most new schools, it does have a number of new features inside.

For one, all visitors will be funneled though the office, making it easier for school administrators to keep up with comings and goings.

Classrooms let in plenty of light, and the school's fully stocked media center features a high ceiling that creates a light, airy feel.

Bathrooms include faucets that turn on and off automatically and lights that save energy by going out if no one is inside. The school also has a permanent art room that even includes a kiln.

Just having everyone together in one building will be nice, Richardson said. Meetings tended to run late, as teachers had to drive from one school to another, and administrators frequently went back and forth.

"I did put a lot of miles on the car," she said.

Pam Powell , whose son Christopher attends the school and who serves as the school's PTA president, said she's excited about the teachers at Northern. It already has a reputation as a good school, she said.

"Parents are moving into the area just to go to the school," she said.

On Wednesday, teachers spent time putting the final touches on their new classrooms.

Second-grade teacher Frankie Evans fussed over a room that looked like the perfect classroom, but she wasn't quite satisfied.

Like others, Evans had come in over the Christmas break to help get things ready. It's a big job.

"It's like moving into a new house," she said.

Contact Jason Hardin at 373-7021 or jason.hardin@news-record.com