This fall, the art department opened the doors to its brand new two-story art building, in addition to an expanded music room.

The music room was renovated this summer and expanded into the space that was formerly the photo room, after photography teacher Susie Maxwell relocated to the top floor of the new art building. Drawing and Painting teacher Karen Meadows accompanies her in the building on the bottom floor.

A total of $3.2 million of local taxpayer dollars was spent on the two new developments taken from part of a bond measure and modernization fund, according to music teacher John Mattern.

The initial idea for the new spaces stemmed ten years ago from Mattern’s desire for a new music room with additional practice spaces.

“Since I moved in here – the first week, I said, ‘Is it possible to get more room for practice space?’ and [the administration] always knew that that was a need. It just took some time to make this happen,” Mattern said. “About three years ago, they had me sit down and draw out how I could see this building working from the space that I wanted. Literally, they built exactly what I asked for,” he said.

The finished space now contains new walling and soundproofing, as well as seven new practice rooms, including isolation rooms and an additional big ensemble room.

According to Susie Maxwell, both the upper and lower floors of the art building are now readily equipped with two overhead projectors each, as well as an increased number of electrical ports allowing multiple students at a time to access computers for digital work.

Meadows added that she was equally as happy with the turn out of the building.

“I’m really excited about the patio that opens out – we’ll be able to put easels outside and use the natural light,” Meadows said. “It just feels like it allows for more freedom because I have more space.”