When Ridgefield School District passed a levy to remodel and add a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) center to View Ridge Middle School, it was a banner day for the community and for education in our region.
Unfortunately, an unintended consequence of the remodel was been the uprooting of the junior high’s art room — it was the only space large enough that contained the appropriate fixtures and facilities. The art room was moved to a portable classroom that did not have an art sink — and there was no funding to re-fit the room for this purpose. The school’s art teacher, Michelle Kurowski, worked hard over the summer to adapt to the change and make the best of the situation — but without access to a sink, the projects she could engage students with were severely limited
When local arts and education supporters heard about this situation, however, they pitched in to help out. An anonymous donor came forward with $700 to pay for a portable sink that will be able to support art activities in the portable classroom. The Ridgefield Art Association contributed $125, and private donors gave another $75 through Arts of Clark County. That additional $200 will be used to help buy new classroom tables and a shop vac to clean the carpeted room. If she can raise the funds, Ms. Kurowski also hopes to eventually switch the carpeted floor out to tile — a much more suitable — and cleanable — surface for an art room!
