BELTON, TX — Charter Oak Elementary started its very first day of school as Belton ISD kicks off their 2019-20 school year.
Students, teachers, parents and faculty are all excited to start in this brand new school.
The classrooms are set in pods, so each grade is grouped together, with a sitting area in the middle for an interactive learning experience.
"The way the classrooms are organized here, kind of in little pods, I think is going to keep the classrooms more free to have them grouped the way they are." said Angela Donner, a parent of one of the students.
5th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts teacher, Dorothy Parker, is already thinking of new ways to teach.
“I love the pods and I love common area where students can learn together. We can combine classes and have a joint lesson.” Parker said.
The library is also the talk of the school, as students are excited for the thousands of books they have access to. The library currently houses 8 to 10,000 books, and they’re looking to add even more.
5th grader Elizabeth says her favorite part is the library, as reading is her go-to activity.
Set in the middle of the of a neighborhood, parents are excited that the new location provides an easier walk to school.
"You can see our house from right here actually. It's a 5 minute walk," said one parent
This new school comes after Belton ISD added 3,000 students in the last ten years. The district is expecting another 3,600 over the next ten years.
Charter Oak Elementary is home to 400 students right now, but there is room for double that when the space is needed
The building had a budget of $17.4 million and is 86,000 square feet. The school is named after a historic oak tree located on the east banks of the Leon River.
