RMA has a new addition, and it’s not a new student or teacher. Since this past summer, RMA has been a construction zone. The entrance to Avondale Hall has been closed, Mrs. Tempie and Mrs. Stone have been displaced to Proctor hall, and students have been without a library or any space for independent study. However inconvenient or strange as these temporary circumstances have been, they were worth it in every sense of the phrase because this week, the big moment came. The two new buildings that have been added on to our school and worked on tirelessly for months by so many were finally opened!

On Tuesday, February 27th, the official opening of the new buildings took place. The entire school gathered outside of the new entrance to the school while Mrs. Covolo, our headmaster, Mr. Pruden, the chairman of the board of trustees, and David Combs, the mayor of Rocky Mount spoke about the project and all the hard work that went into making it happen. Mrs. Covolo presented Roy Weaver, the construction leader for the entire project, with a present to show RMA’s gratitude for all of the hard work and dedication that he and his team put into giving our school this new, amazing space. Mr. Combs presented the school with a plaque of recognition for the new addition. After everyone spoke, it was time for the big moment that everyone was waiting for. Mrs. Lancaster, Mrs. Harrell, and Mr. Tucker, the heads of lower, middle, and upper schools, respectively, cut the ribbon stretched across the entrance of the building, symbolizing the official opening! After months of hard work and even more planning prior, the 3 million dollar project is finally finished and available for everyone to enjoy!

The new addition to our school features two buildings. One building is mainly for our youngest eagles: preschoolers! This building features new classrooms for the preschool with big windows (that was built with these helpful hints) and small appliances that are perfect for little ones to use. Bright blues and greens light up the rooms, making this an even happier place to learn! The other building takes up the space where our library used to be. This building features one of the most highly anticipated parts of the project: the new common room! This room will take the place of the library as the most frequented independent study spot for high schoolers. The common room has couches and tables that provide a perfect place for studying that feels a bit different than a classroom and also has the brightly colored features that make it seem so welcoming. In addition to the common room, the new building also adds a multi-purpose room that can be used for club meetings, testing, or whatever else it is needed for. The rest of the building is taken up by new classroom spaces that share the same big windows and bright colors that the preschool building has. Overall, this new addition to our school will provide a new and productive place for learning that everyone can enjoy!