Both Star Spencer High School and Wheeler Elementary are now officially complete under the MAPS for Kids program.

---------------
"City school reopens doors


By Michael Bratcher
The Oklahoman


It has been three years -- and about $3 million in renovations -- since students attended classes in the school.

The school has new paint and lockers and new floor and ceiling tiles. Updated plumbing and wiring hide behind the walls.

Oklahoma City School District officials renovated the school, one of the first projects finished under the MAPS for Kids plan passed in 2001.

Today, the building reopens for the district's first day of school.

"It's such an overwhelming feeling. I probably feel like a first-year administrator just starting out," said Cole, whose educational career spans more than 35 years. "I look down the hall, and I smile and say, 'This is nice.'"

Star Spencer students went to class at nearby Rogers Middle School while construction crews replaced windows and carpet and modernized classrooms by giving them wireless Internet access.

Cole said new white walls brighten a once "dingy, dark building," where brown hallways and beige floor tiles gave the appearance the school was much smaller.

Now the school colors of blue and white adorn the building, which opened in 1964.

"I've been in a lot of high schools, but this is the first opportunity I've had to go into something renovated and looking as nice as it does," Cole said. "What a great thrill, what a great gift I've been given to have the opportunity to be principal on this opening."

The construction company donated additional items at no cost to the district, including the installation of markerboards to replace chalkboards. Cole said the workers "bought into the ownership of the building as they worked on it."



Star Spencer Principal Dr. Sally Cole speaks to her teachers before the start of classes. Photo by Paul Hellstern

Friday morning, Cole addressed teachers in the renovated cafeteria. She reminded them they had just a few hours to set up their classrooms before crews waxed the floors.

Ron Parker has spent 12 years teaching history, government and geography classes. Before the renovations, he said, the school looked like it was "on its way downhill."

Senior Shawntay Alexander attended Star Spencer as a freshman but joined classmates at Rogers the past two years.

"I'm excited to be back in our school to graduate," Alexander, 17, said.

Cole said students will notice more changes. Shipments of new furniture are expected by early October.

Construction crews this summer also finished work at Wheeler Elementary, another school to reopen today under the MAPS for Kids plan.

Wheeler was damaged by a fire in 2001. Students attended classes at Rancho Village Baptist Church while the school was being renovated.

More improvements are planned at Wheeler next year, including an expansion that will house a media center, computer lab and gymnasium. "