September 21 was another historic moment in Chapel Hill as the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools dedicated Northside Elementary, its eleventh elementary school.
While the building is new, the spirit of Northside is not. There was another school from another era that used to sit on the site. In 1924, Orange County Training School was originally built on the lot. A Rosenwald School, funds were raised by the African-American community in conjunction with a grant from Julius Rosenwald to build the school. Through the years, classrooms were added and in 1951, the school took on the name Northside Elementary. When the district became desegregated in the 1960s, Northside was closed as students went to other district elementary schools.
As the new Northside Elementary opens, it continues the proud tradition in education, combining its rich history with 21st Century technology. Northside Elementary is a place where every student can think, learn and grow with purpose, persistence and pride.
The dedication was attended by former Northside alumni, community members and new Northside Elementary students and staff.
Northside accommodates 585 students and has art, science and music rooms. The school also has a memory hallway, which has pictures from the original schools, as well as the school's 1924 cornerstone. The building is over 97,000 square feet and is LEED Green Certified through the US Green Building Council. Sustainable design includes:
- stormwater management plan to reduce runoff and a rainwater cistern;
- vegetated "green" roof area, which is also used for science classes;
- rooftop solar thermal panels to generate hot water for the building's kitchen and space heating needs; and
- windows and clerestories to maximize daylight in classrooms.
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| Original steps built in 1924 still lead to Northside Elementary |
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