BY MIRIAM SMITH
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON -- Forget beige cement-block walls, dark hallways and drab industrial design.
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Students begin to form a line to make their lunch choices in the new Mason Intermediate School on Mason-Montgomery Road.
(Dick Swaim photo)
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Instead, try "bright and fun" and "child-friendly."
Those are phrases used by school officials to describe the new Mason Intermediate School, which recently opened its doors to about 850 fifth- and sixth-grade students.
"That's really the way it was built -- it was built for children," said Dave Segrist, the school's assistant principal. "Students love it. They really like the building because of the way it's laid out, the colors."
It's the bright yellow, green, blue and red colors that separate four identical, academic "pods" in the two-story building, the design of which is modeled after Mason Middle School.
Voters in February 1997 passed a 5.01-mill bond issue to provide $20.7 million for the new school, as well as additions to Western Row Elementary and Mason Heights Elementary.
Visitors are greeted by a receptionist in the school's lobby area, and the principal's office is on the second floor to be closer to students and teachers, said Shelly Benesh, district spokeswoman. Classroom activity is visible from large windows, and visitors can look down from the second floor through a central, glassed-in area at students eating lunch in the cafeteria.
"It's neat, it opens things up more, it's more inviting," Mr. Segrist said. "It's a very inviting atmosphere for students as well as parents and the community."
The building was designed for growth in one of the fastest-growing districts in the state and can hold 1,200 students, he said.
The state-of-the-art facility includes a media center with 10 computers for research, each with Internet access. Each classroom also has Internet access.
The athletic and music areas and cafeteria are grouped in the center of the building, separate from classrooms so they can be used after hours for community events.
Modern conveniences aside, the district also hopes the cheery colors separating the wings will inspire students to learn.
"The bright colors just really catch your attention, and it keeps your mind focused on what you're doing," Mr. Segrist said.
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