New Building a Boon for Northwest Academy

Northwest Academy has moved many high school classes into the new buildings on 12th Avenue, opening up more space for classes, and giving the school more room to grow.

“In the old Buchan [building], classes were all mixed, high school and middle school living together,” Doug Cornett, who teaches two humanities classes in the new Plaza Building, said. “The old building we didn’t own, we rented, so we couldn’t put anything up on the wall. Now the classrooms can be tailored to each teacher.”

Along with the new Plaza Building, Northwest Academy holds a variety of classes in the Century Tower, right next door.

“The connectivity is great,” Lainie Ettinger , Director of Admissions and Marketing, said. “I love having all the faculty right here.”

Some high school students have a very positive opinion of the new high school space.

“I really like the new building because there is a lot more space and windows,” John Elliott, a sophomore, said. “Everything is very bright. It feels a lot less claustrophobic.”

Students also love the layout and central location of the new buildings.

“It’s nice that all the classes are on the same level,” Sol Rise, a freshman, said. “You know, you can walk easily to one another and a lot of my classes are right next door to each other. It’s an easy walk to the bio and drawing room.”

Mary Folberg, Head of School, has moved her office into the new Plaza Building.

“I love the whole walls of light,” Folberg said. “We have always moved into old buildings, where none of the carpet or painting has been finished. This year I got to choose.”

The Plaza Building will have the same technology system as the other buildings associated with Northwest Academy.

“We have been working to create every building as a pod, so that you could essentially pick up that building, move it anywhere in the city, and plop it back, and it will work essentially the same,” John Storhm, Systems Administrator at Northwest Academy, said.

Reported by Sam Crispin and Molly Meier