Case Study

Kingston Springs Elementary School: Rebuilding a School's Pride

Janet Nelson, DEMCO

The Library

The Kingston Springs Elementary School is part of the Cheatham County public school system in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. The school, including the library, serves about 400 students in grades Kindergarten through 4th grade. The school has long been known for the quality of education provided and the dedication and longevity of the staff. While every educator looks forward to an opportunity to update their facilities, none would wish for the situation that befell this school.

The Issue

Kingston Springs was not planning a renovation of their school and library, but in a matter of hours, not only was the school library destroyed, but the entire school was affected. As six feet of water rushed through the school, nothing was spared. Furniture, many years of teaching materials, the book collection, computers and other equipment was either washed away or destroyed by the flood waters. These seasoned educators lost materials they had collected over decades and many felt a sense of despair and disbelief.

The floods hit during the final weeks of the 2010 school year and the desired outcome was to get the school open again by August 6, 2010. The first order of business was to clear away the debris and determine the next course of action. In doing so, the Kingston Springs staff met with the DEMCO team and began laying out their hopes and dreams for the renovation of their entire school.

The Solution

When flood waters receded, DEMCO worked around the clock with school staff to determine their needs, ultimately laying out a new library, replacing furniture in classrooms and specialty rooms, and many materials critical to lesson plans. The rebuilding of the school was featured on the Oct. 29 episode of the NBC renovation program ‘School Pride’. The goal of the DEMCO team working with the Kingston Springs principal and staff was to not only replace what was lost, but to update and improve the spaces so they would function well for years to come.

Using the latest in available furniture and equipment and a talented design staff, the team was able to collaborate and develop the best possible spaces for optimal student and staff interaction. Updates included a library with an approachable, small scale circulation desk, low level shelving with slatwall end panels to merchandise materials and a cozy reading corner. Classrooms included configurable desks, ergonomic chairs and matching activity tables. The cafeteria encouraged school spirit with colorful red tables and matching stools. Bright area rugs created warmth throughout the school and many additional furnishings provided further functionality. All of this done within a five week time frame from start to finish.

“Helping a school get back to normal following a natural disaster is a very unique endeavor – the need is great, the timeline is tight, and the community is reeling from a tremendous loss,” says David Kinley, regional project manager at DEMCO. “We use a combination of dedicated teamwork, constant communication and steadfast vendor relationships to get the job done on time, and provide a helping hand to schools when they need it most.”

DEMCO not only replaced the fixtures, furnishings and materials that had been destroyed, they helped restore a sense of school pride that had faded.

A rich 100-year history and commitment to providing complete, long-term solutions makes DEMCO the leader in creating spaces and providing solutions that help customers better serve their communities. Our experience enables us to anticipate a school’s needs immediately and into the future – whether a planned new build or retrofit project, or in an unexpected disaster situation, such as a flood. Additional information about DEMCO’s services and solutions can be found by visiting www.demco.com or DEMCO Interiors at www.demcointeriors.com.