Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The public got a first look at the design for the new Owen Marsh Elementary School at Monday’s District 186 School Board meeting. The Farnsworth Group and O’Shea Builders were on hand with a fly-through video of the design.

Art Room
Front of school
Cafeteria
Sample Classroom
School entryway
Common learning area
Reading and Media Room
Music classroom
Gymnasium
STEM classroom

(Photos: Farnsworth Group & O’Shea Builders)

Principal Wendy Conaway says a lot of input went into the design including from students, who she said, will be pleased to see their ideas come to fruition.  The new school will be built on land next to the existing school at 1100 Avon Dr. Conaway says once they move into the new building, the existing school will be abated and torn down. Each of the circles will be made into playlots for basketball, playground equipment and, she said, maybe even a pickleball court.

Some of the features of the new school are a STEM learning center, outdoor dining, large glass front reading and media room, and multiple common areas. The reading and media room will be dedicated to the late Martha Havey who taught in District 186 for 20 years including time at Owen Marsh as a first-grade teacher. The STEM classroom will be dedicated to Laura Schemmer who taught science at Owen Marsh and Grant Middle School.

Conaway said they will be taking items from the existing school into the new building, including canvases that were painted by Charles Houska and storage cases to display some of the history of Owen Marsh school.

Groundbreaking is expected in the Spring.

Fly-through design video presented at school board (at 27:24 of board meeting)