South Lake Elementary School
South Lake Elementary School Continues to be a Focus for Community of Action
Temple Beth Ami members Debbie Jacobs and Susan Stern with members from AIM (Action in Montgomery) and Asbury Village getting ready for a tour of the newly completed South Lake school. All three groups worked together to advocate for the school’s needed replacement.
The cafeteria/all-purpose room has been enlarged to accommodate all 800 students for school-wide events.
Wide hallways and lots of light are highlights of the new South Lake Building.
Construction Update
After over 18 months in a temporary holding facility at Emory Grove Elementary School, South Lake faculty and its over 800 students returned to its newly constructed home on Contour Drive in Gaithersburg for the start of the 2023-24 school year. The return was just in time to begin a yearlong celebration of the school’s 50th birthday. Located in an aging building behind the now closed Lake Forest Shopping Center, the school struggled for years to be prioritized for replacement. The struggle for recognition finally paid off and South Lake faculty and staff welcomed students and their parents Friday, August 25.
Community of Action played its part delivering 125 backpacks filled with school supplies donated by Temple Beth Ami members and funded through Tikkun Olam and congregant monetary donations. The school supply drive has been ongoing since 2017 except for the 2020-21 school year. This year’s drive was done in cooperation with the Gan Ami Summer Program and Kayitz campers.
Features in the new building include:
- Three stories with classrooms distributed on all three floors.
- Wide hallways and an open-air feeling.
- Spacious entrance and lobby area with immediate access to administrative offices.
- Separate Health and Wellness suite accommodating both Linkages for Learning Program and full medical and psychological services for all South Lake students.
- Well-appointed classrooms with lots of windows to allow for optimal natural lighting.
- Media Center with school library and space for interactive instruction.
- New cafeteria and all-purpose room to accommodate full school with ceiling sound baffles to enhance student experience during lunchtime and performances.
- Site design and grading with safe access to ground floor and outdoor areas.
- Blacktop sports court, playing field and climbing equipment for recess and afterschool.
- Much needed storage for student support personnel offices and faculty amenities.
Vision for South Lake
Speaking before the Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative (GBCI) spring 2023, Principal Celeste King expressed her vision for the school that all things community-related can happen at South Lake. Her goals include:
- Expanded after-school and Excel Beyond the Bell programming.
- Additional tutoring support to address the almost two years of lost learning students suffered during Covid 19 closings
- More support addressing the social and emotional needs of students.
- A place for community meetings and events.
- Site for parenting classes and food distribution.
Other Ways to Help
- Art Club – TBA has sponsored an afterschool art club at South Lake beginning in 2017. The club currently meets on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:45 and has enrolled 22 students. Volunteers are needed to help with student projects. There is no experience necessary; the curriculum is established. Congregants can volunteer for as little as one or two classes.
- Market Day – Volunteers are needed to help unload donated groceries and set up the community food distribution market on the first Wednesday of each month. Beginning at 2:15. time commitment is flexible until 5:30 when the Market ends.
- Science Club – Interest is high in starting a pilot afterschool science club. We are looking for someone to take a leadership role in bringing science to South Lake.
For further information, contact Susan Stern
View Thank You Projects Made by the Students at South Lake Elementary School