PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Chow’s on: Gators get new cafeteria
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Gubser Elementary School
families along with city and Sa-
lem-Keizer Public School offi -
cials celebrated the substantial
completion of the fi rst project
to arise from a $619 million
bond approved by voters in
2018.
The Gubser renovations in-
cluded a new cafeteria, kitchen,
three new classrooms, and two
new covered play areas behind
the school.
“These changes ensure stu-
dents will be One Gubser when
they eat lunch in addition to
when they are out in the com-
munity,” said Tom Charboneau,
the incoming fi rst-year princi-
pal of the Gators.
The biggest change to the
school is a dedicated cafeteria.
Students once crammed into
a small space to eat hot lunch
while others ate outside their
classrooms in spaces known as
“pods.” The new cafeteria was
a covered play area just a few
months ago, but the Gators re-
ceived two new covered play
areas in exchange for the old
one.
Students Jacob and Kailie
Garcia, Asher Thompkins and
Ava Privatsky helped chris-
ten the new space with a rib-
bon-cutting ceremony after a
string of local dignitaries of-
fered their congratulations.
“Many of you know how
important it is to Keizer to
take care of our children and
we never hesitate to jump for-
ward for them. Because of your
support, we’ll be doing projects
like this all across the school
district,” said Danielle Bethell,
Keizer’s representative on the
Salem-Keizer School Board.
“It’s a huge deal and I hope
each one of you pay attention
to the work being done across
the district.”
Mayor Cathy Clark com-
Members of the McNary
High School band and color
guard will spread throughout
Keizer neighborhoods on Sat-
urday, Sept. 7, to collect re-
deemable cans and bottles as
a fundraiser to the benefi t the
band program.
Teams of band members
will go door-to-door seeking
donations of cans and bottles
that can be redeemed. They
will also accept cash dona-
tions. Cans and bottles can be
left on the front porch or in
front of the garage.
Band day is overseen by the
McNary Band Boosters who
will set up a station at the high
school parking lot to accept
and sort donations from 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m.; they will accept do-
nations at this site as well from
people who want to bring
their donated cans and bottles
themselves.
There will be a collection
site at the Creekside Shopping
Center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Supporters can contribute
to the band throughout the
year by registering for a free
BottleDrop account and ear-
marking their refunds for the
McNary Band. Once registra-
tion is complete, you will be
able to pick up special green
recycling bags that can be
fi lled and dropped off at Bot-
tleDrop Centers.
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
ABOVE: Ava Privatsky, Asher Thompkins, Kailie and Jacob
Garcia had the honors of cutting the ribbon. RIGHT: Attendees
packed the tables inside the new Gubser cafeteria.
mended voters who supported
the bond at the ballot box.
“This is part of what you
bought – an appropriate, safe,
inviting and nurturing space
for the most important part of
our community, the children,”
Clark said.
New classrooms were added
to the north end of the build-
ing and the main offi ce was re-
structured for greater visibility
as people enter and leave the
building. General capacity at
the school increased by roughly
100 students, enough to absorb
projected growth for the com-
ing two decades.
The Gubser renovations
were not initially planned as
part of the fi rst wave of bond
projects, but district offi cials
took advantage of openings
in the construction schedule
Band Day
is Sept. 7
to move it up the to-do list.
Once fully complete, the dis-
trict’s investment in the school
will amount to roughly $5.5
million. The district was able
to remove portable classrooms
from the campus as a result of
the renovations.
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