Newton Parrish Elementary School celebrated its ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday night in its newly renovated gymnasium. The bleachers were filled with a sense of excitement as teachers, students, parents, school board staff and Owensboro Public School supporters awaited the chance to walk through Newton Parrish and see the school’s many transformations.
Before the exploring began, OPS superintendent Nick Brake spoke to the crowd, expressing a heartfelt “thank you” to school principal Steve Bratcher for his involvement.
“You ask any principal that has to deal with a major renovation — how hard it is to deal with and, of course, a mixture of excitement about this new project, and what it’s going to do for the student body and school,” Brake said. He added that Bratcher handled the stress of renovations amongst a trying period in his life.
“Some of the prior principals have made such a difference, but I really want everyone to join me in thanking Steve Bratcher,” Brake said. “Steve had to deal with that at a time he was having to deal with a lot of really difficult personal and professional challenges, so he has done an incredible job. I want to thank him for how hard he worked, and for how he persisted to make this a reality.”
Aside from the gymnasium, Newton Parrish installed two new windows in every classroom. Some classrooms even had steel doors removed that were replaced with a second window, opening up each classroom with natural light. As for lighting, each classroom was equipped with new, modernized ceiling lights.
Bratcher explained that new geothermal heating and air was installed as well. Moreover, a new music room was created, providing students with plenty of space and room for activities. The Newton Parrish cafeteria underwent a complete renovation and even features paintings of historical heroes on its walls.
Three new classrooms were added which allow the school to now offer fifth grade to OPS students. The addition also provides more classroom options for a school that exceeds 500 students, and is continuing to grow.
“Our staffing threshold is 500 [students]. So, with the fifth grade, that’s added some students and, of course, we also have some kids from the county who want to be here,” Brake said of the extra classrooms. “We have an open border, and we have really helped the enrollment here, and it’s showing.”
“We actually have 530 kids who go here — last year we were at about 425. So we grew about 95 kids this year,” Bratcher said. “Adding those classrooms made fifth grade happen.”
Two former classrooms were remodeled and the former gym reconstructed into Newton Parrish’s new media center/library, while the old music room was successfully remodeled into special education suites.
Brake honored Newton Parrish parents and staff for their combined efforts in making Newton Parrish a school driven by a special kind of care that allows the school to succeed so well.
“The culture, the spirit, the support, the parental involvement and the connections that this school has to this neighborhood, to this part of Owensboro, really aren’t a match for a lot of other elementary schools,” Brake said.
