Students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in an updated kindergarten classroom at Hillcrest Elementary School.

Editor’s note:This story is the second in a six-part series preceding Saturday’s public tour of the recently completed construction projects in the Lawrence school district.

Hillcrest Elementary School recently had as many as eight portables on its grounds, but with the addition of seven new classrooms, the school’s principal is happy to say the portables are no more.

“All the new space has allowed us to get rid of portable classrooms,” said Hillcrest Principal Tammy Becker. “This is the first time in over 25 years that all our students are within one building space.”

Hillcrest Elementary School Principal Tammy Becker greets students at an entrance to the new addition to the school.

As part of its recently completed construction, the school now also has a dedicated lunchroom and gym — both new additions — where before that was a shared space that lacked a fully operational kitchen. Previously, Hillcrest had a “satellite kitchen,” in which food was brought in from other school kitchens in the district, explained Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll.

“Having its own kitchen allows staff to prepare a lot of the food on-site,” Doll said. “It makes the food (options) more nutritious.”

With its expansion, Hillcrest almost doubled in size, going from an L-shaped building to a rectangle-shaped building with two parallel hallways, as well as a new main entrance, Doll said. The new hallway, with floor-to-ceiling windows and polished-concrete floors, leads to the school’s other additions: a music room, art room and library.

A new gym at Hillcrest Elementary School. Formerly the cafeteria shared space with a small gym.

“(The addition) provides adequate space to meet student needs for the first time in years,” Becker said.

Hillcrest is one of five elementary schools in which additions and renovations were completed ahead of the new school year. Renovations at all schools include secure entrances; “hardened space” storm shelters with concrete ceilings; new heating and air-conditioning systems with classroom-specific adjustment; secure keypad-entry classroom doors; and attached bathrooms in kindergarten classrooms.

As far as some of the space on the school’s grounds that was freed up with the removal of the portables, three walls of the building now surround a courtyard with picnic tables and an empty space that will soon be the school’s garden.

Hillcrest Elementary School has a dedicated lunchroom and gym after a recent expansion. Previously, the cafeteria shared a space with a small gym.

“Classes can work outside,” Doll said. “It will be a great place for outdoor learning.”

All schools also have new or additional learning pockets — break-out study spaces with flexible furniture such as stools, benches and tables — located outside of traditional classrooms. Hillcrest now has five learning pockets, which Becker said are good spaces for students to work in groups, allowing for collaboration and a more social way to learn.

Voters approved the $92.5 million school bond issue in April 2013 to improve facilities at all 20 schools in the district and build the new Lawrence College and Career Center, 2910 Haskell Ave.

The new main entrance at Hillcrest Elementary School.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the College and Career Center and a “Parade of Schools” will be this Saturday. The Parade of Schools will include the five schools where additions and renovations were recently completed: Langston Hughes, Cordley, Hillcrest, New York and Quail Run.