By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Another Buffalo public school has undergone a complete transformation. The city school district opened the newly renovated Discovery school on Abbott Road in South Buffalo for students and teachers.
Public School 67 was closed for nearly two years as part of the Joint Schools Reconstruction Project. But Tuesday, it was filled with more than 200 pre-K through fifth grade students. And even though there are just weeks remaining in the school year, the district decided to allow the children to complete classes in the newly renovated school. It includes exposed conduit, pipes and wiring for kids to explore and learn. It also features a glass elevator and a former courtyard enclosed with a Teflon-coated fabric roof.
The auditorium was fully restored and there is a new gym. The students were thrilled with the school.
"It was amazing," said one. "We have a gym and we have an auditorium."
"It is bigger and it looks like a mall," another said.
"Tt's bigger and there is more fresh air."
"We have a really big gym."
Discovery School Kindergarten teacher Carrie Milch actually helped offer ideas for the newly redesigned school. She said it was just the kind of natural learning environment that studies have shown to be most effective.
"I think it makes a tremendous amount of difference," she said.
Parent Anne Gorman, has third and first graders attending the Discovery school. Gorman says she and her husband considered moving out to East Aurora for a better school district, but then decided the South Buffalo neighborhood and city school would provide the right education for her children. She says now her daughter is excelling in reading.
"At the end of last year, my daughter tested at a 12th grade reading level. The program is incredible," Gorman said. "It is so stimulating and gives them a chance to reach their capacity, which you often don't get."
In the next three years, enrollment at the Discovery School is expected to expand to 600 students and serve pre-K through eighth grade.