Amphitheater to fill school's hole in the middle

Old Lyme - A courtyard nearly as big as the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium sits right in the middle of the school, but it is rarely used.

There are a few picnic tables scattered about, but because it is surrounded by classrooms, any use of the courtyard during school hours would create a distraction for students in the classrooms.

Six months ago, Principal Jeff Ostroff, his staff and parents, all on the school's Beautification Committee, began brainstorming ways to better use the courtyard space. The winning idea was to build an amphitheater for student plays, concerts, readings and special events.

"The concept was, what can we do to create an environmentally green, educational, tranquil, harmonious place that connects to the curriculum?" Ostroff said.

Local architect Nina Peck designed the proposed Asian-themed courtyard, which according to the conceptual design would have a "center court" area surrounded by a river of white pebbles. To access the center court, where students would sit for performances, one would have to walk over short wood bridges often seen in botanical gardens.

Ostroff envisions that each of the four corners of the courtyard would be its own educational space. One corner, for instance, could be dedicated to scientific exploration while another corner might be used for quiet reading time.

The courtyard renovation project will be presented to the Board of Education's Facilities Committee next month.

Developing a garden in the courtyard was part of the plan when the school was renovated in 2003, Ostroff said. But that was dropped to save money, and the project instead became something Ostroff put on his to-do list as the school principal.

The project will be funded entirely by donations, Ostroff said. A fundraising event for the project, "Harmony In the Middle," is scheduled for Jan. 29. Money raised from the school's Buy-a-Brick program, where engraved bricks can be purchased for a walkway on school property, will also be funneled to the courtyard project, Ostroff said.

Students will contribute their talents by helping develop the spaces within the courtyard and installing sculptures there, Ostroff said. Rain barrels are proposed to catch rainwater that will then be used to water the courtyard's plants.

"This is a plan that is inspired by teachers and family and administration," Ostroff said. "If we can pull this off, I can truly say to you that teachers, students, parents and administrators were all part of the thought process."