Merrill Middle School Addition Nears Completion

Merrill Middle School students are a little more secure, and Spanish language teachers and students now have a permanent space. Construction and renovation that began last March at the school is almost complete.

A new door camera and intercom system is added to the main doors, which are now locked on the outside. Visitors must use the intercom to contact the office in order to gain entry to the building.

On the west side of the building along Grand Avenue, three new classrooms are added.  Those rooms now house Merrill’s Spanish language program, a key part of the International Baccalaureate School curriculum. Instead of being shuffled from room to room, students will congregate in the west wing, regardless of their grade or academic level.

“Our teachers and students are so excited about being in the new classrooms,” Merrill Principal Alex Hanna said.  “After moving from classroom to classroom, students feel very special at this point.”

Each classroom is complete with new technology, enhancing the foreign language learning opportunity.

The new space opens up opportunities for the community, too.

“We have many families that would like to enroll at Merrill due to our International Baccalaureate World School status,” Hanna said. “We will now be able to offer more families an opportunity to attend Merrill.”

The $1.7 million dollar project will be complete within the next few weeks when a handicap accessible elevator is installed, putting the cap on another DMPS construction project, one of many planned in the coming years as the district grows to accommodate a growing student body, while maintaining small class sizes and individualized learning opportunities.