Two years after groundbreaking at Lyseth Elementary School, renovations are now complete on the first of four Portland school construction projects approved by voters in 2017.

Students at Lyseth no longer have to use the same space as a gym and cafeteria. They have a bright, spacious library across the hall from a courtyard used for outdoor learning. And when they enter the building each morning they walk past new administrative offices into a sparkling lobby with rows of seating and down hallways lined with cozy reading nooks.

“I’m just thrilled,” said Lyseth Principal Lenore Williams during a recent walk-through. “I’m thrilled we have these amazing new teaching and learning spaces.”

Lyseth is the first of four Building For Our Future school renovation projects to be completed using a $64 million voter-approved bond. Work is just getting started on the other three projects at Reiche, Presumpscot and Longfellow elementary schools, where projects were put out to bid earlier this year but are currently being held up by delays in the permitting process.

Highlights of the $14.3 million Lyseth project include separate gym and cafeteria spaces, a new lobby and administrative offices, a new library, the addition of a pre-K classroom and general classroom updates throughout the building. Students and school officials lauded the project and thanked the community at a ribbon cutting last month.

“Being inside and seeing how your school has been transformed gives me hope, because you all deserve 21st century school buildings,” school board Chair Emily Figdor told students. “That’s what we have now and I’m so excited for you all to be able to finish your elementary education here and for the generations after you.”

Figdor also thanked voters for making the project possible. “It’s not because of the district that we have this new school building,” she said. “It’s because of the community and because of the voters of Portland. The community came together to make this happen because we know Portland is its schools. The schools are the heart and soul of our city and we need good school buildings.”

Students participate in gym class in the new gym at Lyseth Elementary School in Portland on Tuesday. Previously, the school’s gym also doubled as a cafeteria. The new gym also has a stage. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Superintendent Xavier Botana called the completed renovations an “incredible milestone” for the district and children in Portland. “I do want to thank the Lyseth school staff, family and neighbors for their cooperation, patience and resilience through the past two and a half years,” Botana said.

Students also said they are pleased with the changes to their school. “The school now has a gym separate from the cafeteria,” said fifth grader Maeve McCullum. “The gym is bigger, with a stage, and overall is just incredible… Our cafeteria has improved a lot. It is very helpful to the custodians because they don’t have to fold the tables and clean after every gym class. There are now colorful and positive vibes in the cafeteria as well.”

Botana told the school board in 2018 that the district planned to renovate Lyseth first because it was in the best condition out of all the schools scheduled for upgrades and it would be the easiest and most straightforward construction project. The school board selected Hardypond Construction of Portland as the contractor in May 2019 and a groundbreaking was held in June.

Prior to the renovations, Lyseth used one room for the gym and cafeteria. The construction of a new gym apart from the cafeteria is one of the biggest changes, Williams said. In addition, where there was previously no formal lobby, a large open space now greets visitors to the school and a gently curved “giraffe’s neck” hallway leads to the new library and gym.

Overall, Williams said the project has been transformative for her school. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “We’re really happy with how it turned out.”