Surprise remodel at AES brings tears of joy

ADDISON - A “maintenance problem” was only a ruse to keep Lynn Tuggle out of the media center of Addison Elementary School Thursday, Nov. 7, when the Addison Elementary Parent and Teacher Organization, along with the entire elementary school student body, surprised her with new furniture, window seats, curtains and other improvements for the library. The ruse went as far as to have yellow caution tape over the doors.
Weeks in the planning, the PTO quietly organized the surprise and has received numerous donations, with one large contribution of paint, wood and other material from Powell Building Supply. PTO members involved in planning the surprise included Daphne Gilmore, Beth Vayda, Heather Denson, Sandy Dover, Samantha Crooks, Jamie Simmons and Linda Wilkins.
Two new couches and rugs were purchased as well, along with a new vacuum cleaner and seat. Caterpillars made out of crepe paper were added to the ceiling. Vayda has also been working on a mural for the entrance to the media center. Included in the mural are the brick arches leading to the stadium and the Addison water tank. Older and no longer used window units could not be removed from the building, so wooden benches were constructed with cushioned seats on top for the window seats. The cushions are designed in bulldog paw-shaped patterns, created by Gilmore and Crooks. This will give students a nook-like place to read by the window.
“It came to us at a PTO meeting that the library needed an upgrade,” Gilmore said. “We did a couple of fundraisers and had a “hat day.” We had a donation from a local company. We repainted, sanded the columns, got all new furniture and rugs. The blinds haven’t been taken down since 1992, (when the building was constructed). It just needed a face lift where it will be more kid-friendly and be brighter and more cheerful.”
“The school has been very patient with us,” one PTO member laughed. Many PTO members had great things to say about Tuggle:
“She does phenomenal with the kids.”
“She does local history and really gets into the voices with the books. She brings the stories to life for the kids.”
“I didn’t have any clue what all she did up here: typing skills, computer skills and PowerPoint are some.”