HMS Opens New Panther Den
Horizon Middle School held a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, for its new building, the new Panther Den.
HMS Principal Cindee Borruel said at the ceremony, “I just want to let you know how grateful we are on behalf of our Panther team, that our community has shown up for us today and has shown up for us again and again over the years that it took to make this project happen. We're extremely excited. Words cannot describe what this means to us, to our students here and to our community.”
HMS Principal Cindee Borruel
The new Panther Den is replacing older modular structures that have been demolished, or are in the process of demolition.
Assistant Principal Elizabeth Dalzell said, “In 2016, we launched what is affectionately now known as the Panther Den. It's a place where sixth graders can feel safe, supported, and ready to navigate the sometimes-daunting transition into middle school. It was our hope, then, as it remains today, to foster a sense of belonging, a foundation of confidence for our students during this brief but pivotal chapter of their lives. This new building represents an exciting new chapter for that vision. It is more than just a home for our sixth graders. It's an opportunity to expand what we offer them with spaces designed for physical education and collaborative learning.”
“We are creating an environment that supports not only the academic needs, but the social and emotional needs of our students’” Dalzell said. “Our performing arts department, for the first time, has performing arts classrooms and an actual music space so they can continue to build their successful programs. Here, the students will stretch their imaginations, strengthen their skills, and develop a sense of identity and purpose that will carry them into the next chapters.”
Assistant Principal Elizabeth "Liz" Dalzell
The one-story 28,000-square-foot building has 12 classrooms, rooms for band and choir as well as an auxiliary gym.
“Three years ago at this time, there was another building standing here that looked just like these ugly ones right next to us. And it wasn't in very good shape,” said Dustin Horras, Sand Creek Zone Superintendent. “We realized that we needed to do something better.”
“The district set out to renovate aging modulars, but an assessment showed the modulars were not viable,” said Lou Fletcher, PhD., Executive Director of Facilities and Operations. “So we did something different and much better; we built a new building for the campus. Horizon Middle School’s students and staff got a new sustainable home for sixth grade excellence.”
Dustin Horras, Sand Creek Zone Superintendent
Horras added, “It's something that the community here deserves, the staff deserves, the students deserve…to have appropriate space. And it's a nice building, that's the main thing we want to do here.”
The budget for the building is about $16 million and is on time and on budget. Demolition and landscaping will be finished this summer.
Dalzell said, “As we cut the ribbon today, let's celebrate not only the physical space, but the countless possibilities it holds for our students. Let's commit ourselves to continuing to grow, to inspire, and to build a community that truly makes every student feel seen, valued, loved and ready to shine.”