Creswell, Education

Creswell Middle School commemorates 10 years

Creswell Middle School staff members cut the cake for students and community members at the Creswell Middle School 10th anniversary celebration on May 2. ALIYA HALL/THE CRESWELL CHRONICLE

By Aliya Hall
The Creswell Chronicle

Creswell Middle School celebrated its 10-year anniversary May 2, along with the school’s academic project night and fifth-grade showcase.
Principal Shirley Burrus said it was a fun night and 10 years have ”flown by.”
”It is hard to believe that we have been in our new middle school for 10 years,” she said. ”It is a wonderful educational facility where our students and staff have the opportunity to teach and learn.”
Burrus, who worked in the old middle school, recalled that it was a close call to build the new school. The 20-118 Measure passed by only 13 votes.
”We all learned how important every vote is,” she said.
The night of the anniversary, the staff played the video that was originally created for the school’s ribbon cutting a decade ago. Afterward, Burrus opened the floor for staff and community members to reminisce on their time in the building.
Science Teacher Jody Reed said that in the old building there wasn’t a sink in her room and she had to fill up a bucket if the class needed water – now she has six sinks. She added that one of her favorite parts of the move was the library books; in two hours students moved the library books section-by-section, in order.
”I look back at that fondly,” she said.
Kim Kuhnhausen, language arts teacher, said she learned from the experience that ”any little thing you can do can help.” She added that she took the closet door from the old building that had students’ heights on it to be preserved.
Kendra Anderson, social studies teacher, joked that she missed having one bathroom for staff, like in the old building, because everyone would catch up in the line and now she doesn’t see everyone.
Board Director Dave Eusted – who Burrus called a key person in the effort for a new middle school – said that at the time his daughters were too young to vote on the new middle school and through that they realized the honor of having an opportunity to vote.
Eusted turned the conversation back to Burrus and said that she ”gave so much heart and no one in the room is more excited than her.”
The night ended with another video created by students in the Janelle Sailer’s drone class, which gave a tour of the middle school and turf field by drone. Burrus said it shows how far the school has come technology-wise.
”I am most proud of the school design that our staff helped create from visiting many new schools in Oregon and Washington,” she said. ”After teaching PE and coaching for many years I truly love our double gym and artificial turf field.”

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