Community Assets: Rabbit Creek Elementary School

Armed with plastic forks this past October, students, faculty and community members gathered to demolish Rabbit Creek Elementary School, and it was delicious. The school-shaped cake was baked by Kris O'Brien and Lori Hanna, parents of Rabbit Creek students. The confection was a replica of the original school and its demolition became the centerpiece of the building's rededication ceremony, marking completion of the extensive renovation.

"We symbolically ate it," said Rabbit Creek's principal, Greg Balcao. "It was amazing."

A multi-generational school

Principal Balcao took the helm at Rabbit Creek five years ago, and almost right from the start people were talking to him about it being time to renovate.

The school was originally built in 1961—one of many ASD schools built during that era—and survived the 1964 earthquake with no damage. A year later, the building underwent its first makeover, receiving additional classrooms to accommodate the growing population in South Anchorage. The students later gained a library, gymnasium and additional classrooms. Then things quieted down. For more than 30 years, there wasn't much construction at Rabbit Creek.

As the building aged, generations of families passed through its doors. Rabbit Creek alumni are now sending their own kids and grandkids to the same neighborhood school they once attended.

Two Rabbit Creek second-grade teachers, Ms. Karen Rakos and Ms. Kylie Lake, were once students at the school.

Madison McDonald, a current sixth grader, goes to Rabbit Creek every day with her mom, who is a first-grade teacher at the school. She spent her fifth-grade year watching the renovations take place around her.

"I think it's very easy to access most of the school," she said of the upgraded building. "And it looks a lot better, too. More colorful, and a more happier and fun environment for kids."

Cold-climate and energy efficiency improvements

"Anchorage is a winter city," said Mike Nero, Senior Director of Capital Planning and Construction for the Anchorage School District. "Our schools and grounds must positively respond to strategies regarding energy efficiency, safety and well-being, with a focus on northern design."

In 2015, Anchorage voters approved bond funds for a major renovation at the school to bring it up to code and make it better suited for 21st-century learning.

The architect of record on the Rabbit Creek renovation, Scott Worthington, of BDS Architects, factored those strategies into the school's new design. Cold-climate and energy-efficiency improvements were made throughout, including new windows, LED lighting and high-efficiency boilers. The result has been that Principal Balcao hasn't had to make a single heating-related repair call yet this year.

"Everybody wanted to do as much as they could, but given our economic climate then, and given our economic climate now, it was a wise move," said Principal Balcao, of opting to upgrade the existing facility rather than starting over completely, one of the more expensive options proposed.

"By improving the performance of a school's thermal envelope (walls, windows, roof) along with installing high-efficiency heating and ventilation systems we can realize significant cost savings," said Worthington.

"These [energy] savings are now available to put back into the classroom to directly benefit students and teachers," he added.

When considering safety improvements, the district also prioritizes seismic safety in earthquake-prone Alaska.

"Over time, we continue to learn how to better upgrade older buildings to resist earthquakes," Worthington said. "It is possible to create safer, older schools without having to replace entire buildings."

The Rabbit Creek librarian, Anya Kean, said the renovation gave her a chance to rethink the library's space and use. "I love that the light makes it easy for kids to read. I love that it's an open space," she said. "Any renovation is going to be tiresome. But the end result: totally worth it."

A community gathering place

Before the renovation, the library walls were lined with dusty, green athletic turf as a soundproofing solution. Now it's bright and clean. The space has become more of a community area. The tables are on casters and can easily be reconfigured to support different functions. In the new tiered seating area, Kean shares stories with students. Three days a week the band practices in the space, justifying the new acoustical ceiling tiles.

The school library also is the destination of choice for local community council meetings,  Boy and Girl Scouts meetings and  All Pro Dads, a group for dads to discuss parenting.

To get the most value and make sure the renovated space is used to its fullest potential, the construction project's scope included furniture, fixtures and equipment. At Rabbit Creek, teachers received upgraded laptops, wireless projectors and document cameras to provide interactive digital learning in the classroom.

Finishing touches

There are still a few things left to do. "We haven't put our [outdoor] basketball hoops up yet—that's something the kids have been asking about," said Principal Balcao. "They'll go back up this summer," he said.

And while the gym, built in 1984, was the only part of Rabbit Creek not included in the renovation, it's getting its own new look. The paint is currently drying on a new climbing wall, a gift from the Rabbit Creek PTA. Students will soon be able to use the space indoors to climb to new heights.

McDonald said she also has a project in the works for her school. As an active member of the student council, she's working with her peers to add "buddy benches" to the playground.

"We actually have a committee of students who are going to go outside and find a good place for them," she said. The mission is to provide a place for students to connect and find friends. They will be manned by student council members who will set the example and help make connections.

McDonald is enjoying her final year at Rabbit Creek and looking forward to attending her neighborhood middle school, Goldenview, next year. She'll always think fondly of her years at Rabbit Creek. 

"I really like it here," she said. "And I think a lot of people like it here."

This article was produced by the creative services department of Alaska Dispatch News in collaboration with the Anchorage School District. Contact the creative services editor, Jamie Gonzales, at jgonzales@alaskadispatch.com. The ADN newsroom was not involved in its production.