Hialeah Elementary Underwent Makeover During Summer

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HIALEAH (CBSMiami) — Students at Hialeah Elementary School are in for a pleasant surprise when they head back to the classroom.

"This is going to be a totally different, new experience for them," said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Raul Perez.

New windows and quieter, more efficient air conditioning units line the exterior of the building, which was built in the 1940s. Principal Rosa Iglesias said before the improvement project, air conditioners posed the most problematic maintenance issue. The new units have sensors.

"They turn on when you walk in the classroom and they turn off when you walk out, so having that is also going to help make them efficient and not break down," said Iglesias.

New handicap accessible bathrooms have been installed at the school. The improvement also brought fresh paint, new ceilings, flooring and lighting.

Students will find "interactive learning boards" in their classrooms which will allow them to participate in lessons using tablets, in an effort to keep up with technological advances.

"It's going to affect them getting into better schools," said Perez. "That's something that we want to make sure that we are on par, above the tip of the sword, when it comes to all that technology."

Other structural improvements include major electrical upgrades, fire alarm system repairs and piping, according to Perez.

The project, which totaled about $1.2 million, is thanks to voters who approved a general application bond in 2012.
Perez said the improvements have been needed for more than a decade. He hopes they will sustain the school for the next 50 years.

"It's like when you walk into an old home, and having it come through a renovation," said Iglesias. "Everything that's new is nice, it's fresh, it's exciting."

Officials have promised that every school in the district will get a piece of the $1.2 billion in bond money in the near future.

"The message to parents is, we are working, we are improving the learning environment for your children," said Perez.