Here are stories from some of our original Kingsway crew!

Ms. Davis

"I am proud to have been a part of the KES Family since the school's inception in 1998!!  😊 I began as a 4th grade teacher/Program Planner when the school was first built.  Our first Principal, Judy Bohlander, excited to get our school started on time, started our year in August even though the school wasn't quite ready!  It had been recommended by the district that KES wait until Dec. to begin with students because of building delays.  So it is told....one of the issues was that the cement poured for the 2nd floor was too heavy (apparently the contractors did it wrong) and inspectors were afraid the beams would not support the 2nd floor.  So instead of doing it over again, the building company added "supports" so the 2nd floor wouldn't collapse.  :0   There were also VISIBLE cracks that appeared along the 2nd floor years later that had to be fixed.  Those of us "originals" were convinced it was the 2nd floor being too heavy.  LOL

Anyway, with all the delays, it was recommended to our Principal, Judy Bohlander, that Kingsway wait to open until 2nd semester (Jan. of 1999).  Well....after all the work (hiring, planning, notifying parents, etc), she said, "NO WAY!!!"  She called in the troops (her new employees) and many of us came in to put desks and tables together, arrange classrooms, etc. so that the building could open in August of 1998.  We did open....but a number of things did not work...including the telephones and intercom systems.  Therefore, we were writing and sending notes via students throughout the day.  Students would get lost in the building and not be able to find the office, etc.  Remembering that, it was pretty frustrating at the time, but we were glad to be in our new, beautiful building just the same.  

One other fact...KES was a popular place from the beginning.  We were projected to open at something like 450 students.  Well....we opened with a LOT more than that!!!  I'm thinking we were around 700, if memory serves me correctly.  I was the 4th grade Program Planner and teacher that first year at KES, and I started with 42 students!!!!!!!  :0  Judy had to hire many more teachers right away in order to bring classroom sizes down, but we didn't see relief until after the 1st marking period.  So you can imagine....42 students, no intercom, no phones, no one knowing their way around this beautiful but big school....but yet...we managed and made KES our home.  :)  

I am happy to say I spent 6 very happy years at KES when the school first began.  1 year as a 4th grade teacher, then I had the privilege to become the school's very first "ERT" (Elementary Resource Teacher) before becoming an administrator.  I spent 2 1/2 years away from KES when I had the continued privilege of becoming the school's 3rd Principal.  I love KES....it's history AND it's wonderful memories.  Happy birthday KES!!!!!"

Mrs. Spelman

"When the building opened, teachers weren’t allowed into the building until 5 days before the first student day. Everyone was moving in at the same time, and the elevator was not operating yet. The furniture, textbooks, and all of the teachers’ personal belongings had to be carried up the stairs. There were many boxes at the bottom of the stairs and we were asked to not go up the stairs empty handed.

Final details hadn’t been finished when school started. The TV in my classroom sat on the floor in the front of the room for the first several weeks of school.

When school started in August of 1998, the four fourth grade classes each had either 39 or 40 students! Imagine how long the line was when the class walked down the hall! The classrooms were wall to wall desks!  This lasted for about six weeks, then another fourth grade class was added. We had about 32 students each for the rest of the year."

Ms. O'Connor

"I remember coming in to work on my room, but instead I helped  build/put desks together for the older grades because we were running out of time before we needed to open and not everything was ready.  On a "sappy" note, I remember a bunch of us met for lunch in the summer because none of us knew each other.  It was the beginning of the most amazing friendships in my life."