One of the new table design laminates

TES upgrades coming

By Michael Butler

Tallassee Elementary School is undergoing some changes, most notably in the lunch room. Mold was discovered in the cafeteria prior to the start of the school year.

Tables were removed while the area was placed off limits. Students have been eating meals in their classrooms.

"There's been a lot of work to make the transition work. The students have settled into the new routine," superintendent Wade Shipman said. "We're not exactly sure what caused this, whether it was just hot summers or Alabama humidity. We're looking at putting air conditioning in the gym which is right next to the lunch room. We think we can cut the humidity down in that building, which can go a long way."

New tables have been ordered. The old tables are being discarded.

"They are currently not in use and are being stored outside," TES principal Dr. Jose Reyes, Jr. said. "They have been professionally cleaned and are usable; however, we have decided to not do so and wait for the new tables to arrive before using the lunchroom."

The new tables in the lunchroom will break from the "mold" of conventional, rectangular row by row seating.

"They will be a variation of shapes and sizes," Reyes added. "These will give the seating arrangements a more modern, conversational feel for our students."

There will be 304 total seats. Some tables will be designed with school colors and the Tigers mascot.

Reyes also noted that their will be a change in the color scheme to match Tallassee's traditional purple and gold look.

"We have a recessed ceiling in the lunchroom that has two trays. One tray is gold and the other is maroon. We will be painting the maroon tray purple. The walls will also receive an upgrade as we will be accenting them with purple and gold to include artwork depicting our Tigers mascot."

Shipman said that there are available funds to work on the roof at the elementary school as well.

"That's been a problem for a while and we actually tried some things," he said. "We tried a sealant. We think we may have an option to use something similar to that."

The tables are scheduled to arrive by Thanksgiving. Students might be breaking them in with some turkey and dressing.

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