Since the first day of school, Trinity Prep students have grown accustomed to the construction noise in the southeast wing. The constant drilling and chatter about where to put a 2-by-4 no longer dazes the students hard at work. Though many students may not appreciate the delayed walk to the Grille or middle school buildings, it will be worth it when the new Brokaw building is finished.
When Trinity was founded in 1968, only 173 students were enrolled in the school. The school’s founder Canon Reese Hay wanted the buildings to be modeled after a building he saw in St. Petersburg, Fla. He was also fond of the Oriental architecture of the American northeast but wanted something of his own.
Brokaw Hall was named after Reverend Roland Brokaw. He was both the head of the English department and the school’s chaplain, scheduler and counselor. When the original Brokaw Hall was finishing construction in 1968, students used portables as their temporary classrooms.
After 46 years of expansion and increased enrollment, Headmaster Craig Maughan approved the destruction and rebuilding of the first building at the school.
“We have been discussing the need to replace Brokaw Hall for about five years,” Maughan said. “The project was approved in 2012.”
Construction for the new building began immediately after the 2013-14 school year ended in June. The building was completely demolished a month later. From July through Aug., the campus was nearly unrecognizable. The school’s seminal building was gone, the grounds were torn up, but, most notably, temporary classrooms were installed in the parking lot.
The temporary classrooms, or portables, replace the classrooms that were demolished in the remodeling of Brokaw. The classes that were moved to the portables are almost entirely for middle schoolers, so our newest students will be in portables.
The switch is affecting both teachers and faculty alike. Teachers were able to move into the portables on Aug. 7, ten days before the school year began. So far, those teachers and staff have had nothing but good things to say about the transition.
“The [move] for the middle school office has gone very well,” Middle School Principal Jason Dowdy said. “The actual moving process is a little difficult and it takes a while to reorganize everything, but we are settling into the office and the space will work for us.”
Some of the teachers were surprised with the size of the classrooms, since they have more space this year than in the years past. Eighth grade Social Science teacher Dave Ballard expressed his happiness that he received an upgrade in room size.
“I hope the new building will be move-in ready before the start of the new year,” Ballard said. “But alas, I will not be here to see that.”
Much like Ballard retiring, the eighth graders will be in the portables for the remainder of the school year and will not be able to utilize most of the facilities of the future Brokaw building. Some students expressed annoyance that their classes are on the other side of the school from their lockers. Dowdy explained that even though the lockers are far away from the classrooms, “the Middle School is still connected to the campus.”
The new Brokaw building will be nearly unrecognizable from the previous building. The building will have two stories and an entrance that is very similar to that of the auditorium.
A courtyard is being constructed for students to eat lunch and hang out after school. Lights will be installed in the courtyard for events during the night. Five additional classrooms are being built, including a science room, a black box theater and an academic support room. Each teacher will have their own room, giving all of them the chance to have an advisory.
Today, the events of Trinity shadow those of 46 years ago. Brokaw Hall was named in honor of Reverend Brokaw, and the remodeling of the building will not change this fact. Maughan hopes the building will be finished by May 2015.
“This will be a wonderful new addition to the campus that will serve our faculty and students for decades to come,” Maughan said.
- Ballard is adjusting to his new room in the current temporary classrooms during his finay year teaching.
