The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Students and teachers can enjoy the large, open rooms and windows of the new Soda Creek building. Photo by John F. Russell

Todd Ficken, project manager for the school district, talks about one of the classrooms in the new Soda Creek Elementary School. The building is undergoing final inspections and will be ready for the children by the Oct. 6 move-in. Photo by John F. Russell

A new classroom is ready for the arrival of students and teach­­ers next month. Each classroom has a tiled area in the entryway near cubbyholes for the students’ jackets and boots. Electrical outlets and Internet jacks line the walls and are ready for the installation of flatscreen televisions and computers. Photo by John F. Russell

A relief above the cafeteria at the new Soda Creek Elementary School depicts the mountains that surround Steamboat Springs. Photo by John F. Russell

A state of the art kitchen at the new Soda Creek Elementary School is waiting for the students to arrive. They will be at the school when it opens on Oct. 6 Photo by John F. Russell

The exterior of the new Soda Creek Elementary School is nearly complete. In the next few weeks crews will be finishing some landscaping and by October it will be ready for students. Photo by John F. Russell

Steamboat Springs — The carpet is laid, the walls are painted and the cubbyholes are awaiting backpacks at the new Soda Creek Elementary School building. Construction on the new building now is finished, one month away from the scheduled student move-in day.

Project Manager Todd Ficken said workers will be putting the final touches on the building this month, including landscaping work that is expected to be finished by Sept. 25.

Furniture also is expected to arrive Sept. 25, and Oct. 6 is the tentative student move-in date. Ficken said all work remains on schedule and the time line is reasonable.

The entrance to the school leads to the school office, a new trend among schools to ensure all visitors check in. From there, the doors open into the media center, which has a high ceiling and is surrounded on three sides by balconies.

Beyond a glass wall is the cafeteria, with folding doors that can open into the gymnasium, creating one large open space. The walls of the cafeteria are covered by acoustic panels designed to dampen noise, as well as a relief of Mount Werner and surrounding mountains.

The gym has another set of folding doors on the opposite side, revealing a stage area that, when closed, also can be used for classroom space.

On the other side of the cafeteria sits the two-story classroom wing. Each classroom has a tiled area in the entryway near cubbyholes for the students’ jackets and boots.

Electrical outlets and Internet jacks line the walls and are ready for the installation of flatscreen televisions and computers.

Although it looks empty now with no bookshelves or furniture, Ficken said that appearance won’t last long.

“They’ll fill this thing up. By the sixth of October, kids will be running around everywhere,” he said.

— To reach Zach Fridell, call 871-4208

or e-mail zfridell@steamboatpilot.com