News - Spotlight

Students streaming into the school’s expansive foyer stared wide-eyed at the bright colors and picture-window vistas. They nodded at the oversized, classical clock – like a giant pocket-watch – overlooking the atrium. They peeked excitedly into science labs and the dance studio, the art rooms and airy media center – called the “Smart Zone” – with its plush reading benches and whimsical, star-themed signage.

But when they reached their classrooms, they lost no time getting down to work. Despite the splashy, energizing environment, the focus at Baltimore County’s newest school – and first new middle school in 22 years – turned quickly to teaching and learning even on the first day.

“That’s what we’re all about,” says proud Principal Deborah Phelps. “Everything we do in this building will be pointing toward student achievement.”

The lesson wasn’t lost on the day’s visitors, either. When a delegation of dignitaries including Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston, State Superintendent Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, County Executive James Smith, and U.S. Congressman Ben Cardin stopped by at midday to congratulate the staff and students on their first day, they saw room after room of busy students fully engaged in preparing for the academic year ahead.

“It’s the first day of school, and they’re already working,” said Rodger Janssen, vice president of the Board of Education of Baltimore County, as he surveyed activity inside a classroom. “I’m impressed.”

The sleek, new $30.4 million building is one designed for student achievement – from the paint scheme to the architectural details that greet visitors and students daily. From the moment they walk into the building’s front entrance, visitors are struck by the school’s flow and design.

“When you are standing in the atrium, the effect is like the effect you would see if you dropped a pebble onto the surface of a lake,” Phelps says. She motions to concentric bands of yellow floor tile that radiate out from the center of the rotunda. “I want students to know that they will have an impact when they come here.”

In other parts of the building, floor tiles guide students to their next classrooms, which include 38 classrooms spread across 116,000 square feet. Windsor Mill boasts three computer/technology labs, four science rooms, two art studios, vocal and instrumental music rooms, and a television studio and radio station.

And the little touches contribute to the welcoming learning environment; the school’s east staircase, for instance, is framed by a large vertical picture window that floods the stairway with light and a lush panorama of sky and rolling pasture.

On the first day for students on August 28, the school had planted a bright welcome display of red balloons and stars in the atrium, along with examples of student work (collected throughout the summer) in cases along the main hallway. Other wall art included inspirational stories of great American political, cultural, and social luminaries and the ever-present theme of stars.

Open a month now, the school is well into its curriculum and mission. The school offers a comprehensive instructional program with an emphasis on interdisciplinary instruction and postsecondary preparation. The halls are quiet and classrooms hum with activity. A PTSA chapter has been formed, and students wear a school uniform that includes a smart “Windsor Mill Way” embroidered polo shirt bearing the school’s name.

Phelps is now preparing for the school’s upcoming official ribbon-cutting. Despite the officials expected that day and the pomp and ceremony of a celebratory ribbon-cutting, Phelps expects the focus to remain centered squarely on learning.

“We have so many resources at our fingertips; of course our students will succeed,” Phelps said. “This school and the students here are real gems for this county.”

Story and photos by Charles Herndon, communications specialist for BCPS.