Lovett Magazine, Spring 2010

Reprinted with permission of The Lovett School
The new Middle School,
viewed from the Dell
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Lovett
Reprinted with permission of The Lovett School
The New
Portman Family
Middle School
MiddleSchool
On Wednesday, November 18, 2009,
Lovett’s Portman Family Middle
School was officially dedicated—
months after opening for classes on
August 18 and weeks after a planned
September 22 dedication was preempted by Atlanta’s floods. It was
well worth the wait!
The Middle School was named
in honor of the Jan and John Portman
Family, in celebration of their association with The Lovett School as parents
and grandparents of more than a dozen Lovett students and alumni for 46
years . . . and counting! The Portman
Family donated $10 million toward
the building’s construction, the largest
single gift in the school’s history.
The dedication recognized the
many members of the Portman family
present, as well as the numerous other
donors and special Lovett friends
for whom portions of the school are
named, including: William Stephens;
Rita Anne Rollins ’72 (the Peggy and
Randall Rollins Family); Tripp and
Blair Rackley and children Piper ’18,
Pearson ’19, and Brady IV ’22; Kim
and Tom Noonan; Darlene and Thomas Garr; the Deborah and Bill Harrison
Family; the Townshend Budd Family;
Above: The Rackley Green
Roof Classroom includes a
water runnel system, which
collects rainwater that drains
into a cistern.
Right: The main school lobby
is the William Stephens Foyer,
named for the Middle School’s
longtime principal. All flooring, tile, carpet, and linoleum
in that area use a ripple design to mimic the water in the
Chattahoochee River on the
edge of campus; colors chosen for all flooring and fabrics
reflect the water, Earth, and
flow. The floors are made
from recycled content and
the display case surround is
made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled paper.
Spring 2010
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MiddleSchool
Reprinted with permission of The Lovett School
The Portman Family Middle School, as seen in relation to the Lower School
the Drewry Family; the Lila and Ira
C. Herbert Family; Kathy and Tom
Weller; Tom and Tiana Barton; and the
Earl Dolive Family.
With remarks by Lovett Headmaster Billy Peebles, Board of Trustees
Chair John Holder ’73, and trustees
Gordon Buchmiller and Charlie Arp
’62, the dedication also highlighted
the achievements of the Portmans,
as well as those responsible for the
planning and building of the beautiful
new school.
Designed to reflect Lovett’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the new Portman Family Middle
School building is ENERGY-STAR
certified and is seeking LEED gold
Middle School students at play
The drama classroom can seat up to
100 people as a performance venue and
also convert into a black box theater.
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Lovett
Reprinted with permission of The Lovett School
Energy-efficient lighting is used in all
offices, halls, and classrooms. The
lights dim when there is sufficient
natural light, which comes from ample
windows and glass walls.
MiddleSchool
Middle School classrooms feature furniture that is low in chemical and particle
emissions; carpet and counters made from recycled content; low-emitting paints;
energy-efficient windows; and SMART Boards and projector systems.
Left: The IT Lab and Help Area boasts
20 iMacs and all new Mac-Books, which
feature arsenic-free display glass,
BFR-free internal components, PVC-free
internal cables, highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure, ENERGY
STAR 5.0 requirements, and an EPEAT
Gold rating.
Below: Hallway floors are made from
easily recycled linoleum.
certification for sustainable building
design.
A green roof, solar hot water,
carpet with recycled content, energyefficient lighting, SMART Boards, and
daylight sensors are some of the many
sustainable features that are part
of this new green school. By building green, the average school saves
$100,000 a year in utility costs. Green
schools are better for children because
they provide healthy learning environments that are quiet, well-lit, and
comfortable. Studies also show that
green schools increase student performance, improve teacher retention, and
have greater operational savings.
The art room, with its ample natural light, includes the Paragon “Dragon,” one of
the most energy-efficient kilns available, which will reduce electricity usage by
approximately 50 percent.
Spring 2010
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MiddleSchool
Reprinted with permission of The Lovett School
Guests of honor, Jan
and John Portman
The Portman Family
Middle School Dedication
Above: Jan and John Portman with
Middle School students
Left: The ribbon cutting!
Middle School
Principal
Debbie
Franks,
Middle School
Assistant
Principal
Clara Traver,
and
Headmaster
Billy Peebles
Alumnus and trustee Charlie Arp ’62,
John and Jan Portman, and headmaster
Billy Peebles
Above: Alumnus Chris Schoen ’79 with
Mr. Portman
Right: Middle School LEEDers—tour
guides trained to explain the “green”
features of the school
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Lovett