THOMASVILLE — After 51 years, Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School was in need of a facelift.

A modernization project has made the school, opened in 1969, look like new, said Thomas County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.

“Even though it is our oldest school building, once this project is completely finished, it will be our most modern school,” Williams said.

In November 2019, the Thomas County Board of Education awarded a $7.5 million contract to CCH Construction Co. of Thomasville for the modernization project at the Hall Road school. The project is being funded through a combination of state capital outlay funds and the education special purpose local option sales tax. The school district received a state grant of $3.8 million through the capital outlay program to assist with the project.

Work began in December 2019 and will continue through December 2020.

When Garrison-Pilcher opened, it housed grades one through six, with each of the six pods serving a single grade. The school has seen many changes and tremendous growth through the years and now serves all Thomas County students in grades one and two.

Williams said that while the pod structure has been maintained, the center pod areas were reduced in size so classrooms could be made larger to meet current class size requirements.

“The pods were thoughtfully designed with students and teachers in mind,” said new Garrison-Pilcher Principal Amy Robinson. “Teachers now have plenty of custom cabinetry for storage needs. Our students will also enjoy their own built-in cubbies to store all of their school supplies and personal belongings.”

Renovation of administrative offices, media center, kitchen and cafeteria have been completed, along with the three pods on the north side of the building. The three pods on the south side will be renovated in phases. Completion is expected in December or early 2021.

“The progress made on the Garrison-Pilcher project in just the last two months has been amazing,” Robinson said. “The newly renovated facility was designed with beautiful hues of blue, green, yellow and tan. These nature colors continue throughout each pod and classroom, giving a calming and natural feel to the environment.”

The project includes a new roof on the entire main building, as well as new electrical, heating and air-conditioning and plumbing systems. New windows, doors and floor coverings are being installed throughout the building, and the full interior is being repainted.

Building improvements are making the building energy-efficient. New air-conditioning and lighting systems, combined with improved insulation throughout, will reduce the building’s operating costs, Williams said.

While the two annex buildings housed on the Garrison-Pilcher campus are not part of the main project, the structures have been painted to match renovated classrooms in the main building.

“The Garrison-Pilcher teachers have been busy receiving training during pre-planning this week on the new interactive myViewBoards, which are being installed into every classroom,” Robinson said. “This latest technology provides teachers the ability to deliver active and engaging instruction to all learners.” 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820