Author: Scott Marsh

4J Bond News: Edison Elementary School Shaping Up

by Scott Marsh

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A new building is coming for Edison Elementary School, thanks to voters’ approval of the 4J school bond measure. What’s the latest?

Design Details: Edison Entry Shaping Up

Arch angle adjusted in response to community feedback 

The vision of the new Edison Elementary School is coming into focus. Responsive to community input, the architects have drafted a school design to prioritize green space, fit the neighborhood in scale, and reflect traditional and northwestern styles.

Mahlum Architects and Robertson Sherwood Architects completed initial design development for the new building this spring, and community members were invited to provide feedback. The final school design will be presented this fall.

One notable change from the previous design draft will be the entryway. Reflecting a common theme heard in community input, the design will be revised from the slightly splayed arch that was presented, to a more classic, vertical arch shape.
Entry Arch Evolution

Virtual View: Soar Through School Design

The new Edison building will begin construction in early 2021 and will open in fall 2022. In the meantime, check out this virtual tour through the building design, provided by Mahlum Architects.

The building depicted in this video is an architectural rendering of design development concepts. The final building design may vary from what is shown here, such as the change in the arched entryway.
Design Fly-Through Video

Preliminary Work to Begin at Edison Site

Activity to prepare for construction of the new school starts in July 

Preparation for construction of the new Edison is underway. Some pre-construction work will begin this week and will cause some minor traffic interruptions in July.

The first pre-construction projects are rerouting the sewer line that runs under Edison and connecting it to one in Onyx Street, and placing a gravel pad at the school site.

In early July, contractors will make small exploratory holes on 22nd Ave. and Onyx St. to ensure no existing subsurface construction conflicts with the proposed path of the sewer line. Starting around July 21, the sewer line rerouting work will require excavation of 22nd Ave. from Onyx St. to the alley between Onyx and Emerald.

Also in mid-July, gravel will be delivered to the school site and laid in the grassy field area. The addition of this gravel pad for equipment will reduce mud and mess at the school site and in the neighborhood during construction. The gravel is being delivered now, in advance of construction, to save costs by relocating excess gravel from the Willard project site without multiple haulings and storage fees.
Preliminary Pre-Construction Work

Next Steps Toward the New Edison

The original Edison building will be demolished later this year, after classrooms move to the Willard school site and other items are removed for reuse and recycling.

After completion of the detailed design, construction documents and permitting, construction will begin in early 2021 to be completed by summer 2022.

The new school building will be a sustainable and efficient, high-quality learning environment and community asset now and for generations to come.
Edison Project Page

ICYMI: Say Farewell to Edison in Virtual Tour
Edison Walk-Through Video

Bond Project Pages

• North Eugene High School
• Edison Elementary School
• Camas Ridge Elementary School
• Gilham Elementary School Expansion
• Yujin Gakuen Relocation
• Willard Swing School
More Bond Information
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Kerry Delf  |  Chief of Staff  |  Eugene School District 4J  |  delf_k@4j.lane.edu  |  541.790.7733

Preliminary Work Update.

by Scott Marsh

In the original message we said the exploratory holes would be drilled ON Monday, June 29th. It now looks like it will be sometime the week of June 29th.

Sorry for the changes.

Preliminary Work Near Edison Site Begins Next Week

by Scott Marsh

SUBJECT: Preliminary Work Near Edison Site Begins Next Week

Dear Edison families,

 

With school out for summer, work is progressing for our move to the Willard site and construction of the new Edison school building.

The original Edison building will be removed later this year, allowing construction of the new building to begin in early 2021.

In the meantime, you may notice some minor preliminary work getting started in the Edison neighborhood in June and July. The first pre-construction projects will be rerouting the sewer line that runs under Edison and connecting it to one in Onyx Street, and placing a gravel pad at the school site.

First, on Monday, June 29, contractors will make small, exploratory holes on 22nd Avenue and Onyx Street to ensure there is no conflict with the planned path for relocating the sewer line. On or about July 21, the work will begin to reroute the sewer line. This will involve excavation of 22nd Avenue from Onyx Street to the alley between Onyx and Emerald.

Crews also will be back in mid-July to start delivering gravel to the school site. The addition of a gravel pad in the grassy field area will help reduce mud and mess at the school site and in the neighborhood when construction begins.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates!

One Last Look: Virtual Visit to Edison Building

by Scott Marsh

Dear Edison families,

It is exciting to be moving forward toward a new building for Edison Elementary School, thanks to voters’ approval of the 2018 bond measure.

It is also bittersweet, as we say farewell to the school building where generations of students have learned and thrived since 1926. After 94 years of service, the Edison building is the oldest and in the poorest seismic and facility condition among the district’s schools, but it also holds an important place in the memory of thousands of past and present Edison students.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not possible to hold a traditional farewell event for student and staff alumni and current Edison families to visit the old school building one last time.

We’ve created a virtual tour instead, so families, staff and neighbors who have been a part of Edison’s history over the past 94 years can take one last look.

Edison Farewell Tour:
https://vimeo.com/427964728

Press play to take a five-minute farewell tour through the Edison building, just as it was on one day this spring after students and staff left to learn at home.

The building will be deconstructed later this year, and construction of the new building will begin in early 2021 to be completed by summer 2022. Stay tuned, as we’ll share continuing updates.

Edison Slide Show

by Scott Marsh
Edison Community –
As the school year comes to a close, we not only say good-bye to another year, we say good-bye to our Edison building as well.  This school year did not end in the way that any of us had intended or anticipated.  We are unable to participate in our regular end of year activities, such as field day or 5th grade celebration.  Along with those traditions, we are unable to close the chapter on our historic building in a way that celebrates community involvement and the thousands of students who have walked through those doors.
Earlier in May, I posted an assignment to SeeSaw asking for students’ favorite memories of Edison.  Some students drew pictures, some recorded their memories, while others posted photos from events such as Ocean Week or the Jog-a-thon.  All of these memories were then compiled into a slideshow to be shared with all of you.  Each classroom teacher is hyperlinked to make it easy for you to go straight to your child’s class and see their memory, if they shared one.  I encourage you to look through the entire slideshow, as it may bring up memories for you and your student(s), including graduates of Edison.  If you are the parent of a 5th grader, looking at the memories of kindergartners may remind you that your almost middle schooler was once that small and innocent.  If you are the parent of a kinder, looking at memories of the older grades may be a reminder they grow up quickly and to cherish these moments.
This is not the way we wanted the school year to end and not the way we wanted to say farewell to Edison.  I leave you with this reminder: While Edison is a beautiful and historic building with many students having walked through those doors, it is not the building that makes our school so wonderful.  What makes Edison a wonderful school to learn in and teach at, is the community of parents, teachers, students, staff, and surrounding community.  The building will live on in our memories, photos, and stories, while the true heart of the Edison community is still alive in all of us and all of you.  This community is what makes Edison, and what makes it worth it to walk through the doors of our building and teach future generations.
Enjoy the slideshow, you can find the link below.  Take care of yourselves and each other.  Have a wonderful summer, Edison community.
Ms. Claire
School Counselor