CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio -- After a year of construction, two new elementary schools in the West Clermont Local Schools District will open to students.
Willowville Elementary School and Summerside Elementary School feature high-tech classrooms and security features.
Willowville, located on Schoolhouse Road in Batavia, has a playground and land that will be used for ball fields.
The media center, located in the middle of the building, serves as a hub of sorts for the school.
The design is purposeful; the music room with a stage leads into the cafeteria, which leads into the gym. Moving walls make it possible to use the space for performances and then quickly move them back for the school day.
Principal Michelle Kennedy said it’s not the new equipment she’s excited about. She’s most impressed with the building’s security features.
“I consider Willowville staff and students, this is my family,” Kennedy said. “These are my babies, these are my children, and I want to make sure we take good care of them.
“One of the best features of this new building is I can completely shut down the academic wing in the event of an active shooter. Between cameras and secure doors, we can shut everything down very quickly."
