We have all seen the shows on TV where an unsuspecting homeowner is surprised with a kitchen or bathroom makeover. That’s exactly how the teachers at Roslyn Elementary School felt when they returned to work after spring break.
A small group of Roslyn parents spent spring break transforming the tired-looking teachers’ lounge into a comfortable space where the teachers can unwind and take a much needed break. “I was stunned when I walked into our teacher’s lounge and saw what a beautiful job the wonderful PTO did to make it so much more inviting,” said 2nd grade teacher Amanda Hybels.
Here’s a look at the teachers’ lounge before:
Here’s how the Roslyn Road School teachers’ lounge looks after the surprise transformation:
The PTO for years had discussed the idea of a new lounge for the school’s teachers, but the lack of funds put the project on the back burner. “We decided that if we did not do it this year during spring break, then it would never be done,” PTO Treasurer JoJo Trainor said. So, PTO member Bina Rizvi reached out to fellow Roslyn parent Chris Young, owner of C.Y. Painting, who readily agreed to donate his time and his team to the project. “Barrington is a great community, the teachers are part of that community, and we were happy to give a little back for all their hard work,” says Young, whose two children attend Roslyn.
Hayley Eissler, owner of Lee Perot Design, came up with the design, and coordinated the “crash” makeover with Young and Roslyn principal Paul Kirk. The vision for the space: a soothing spot that incorporated school colors. The team launched the plan as soon as the teachers left for spring break.
Young reached out to Kevin Quinn, the manager at J.C. Licht Paint in Barrington, whose owner was happy to donate all the materials for the project. Then, Young and his team painted horizontal red and black stripes to break up the mundane, white cinder block walls and used chalkboard paint to create a large chalkboard in the room. Eissler’s design was coming to life.
With a fresh coat of paint on the walls, Eissler and her team added the finishing touches – new furniture, décor and accents that completely transformed the space. Unlike the T.V shows, there were no cameras there to catch the surprise when the teachers returned form spring break. But as you can imagine, the teachers were taken aback and appreciated everyone’s efforts.
“Our faces all lit up as we walked into the homey new lounge with beautiful art work, furniture, and framed pictures of our staff,” said Jeffrey Simon, who teaches 2nd grade at Roslyn.
The project was all about the teachers and giving back to them. Once again, Barrington businesses and members of the community pulled together to fulfill another great project. Principal Kirk says this was “truly an HGTV experience”. Like with many projects in our community, it is the “parents of the kids that can make the difference,” Rizvi adds.
Special thanks to all the local businesses that donated their time and services for this project:
C.Y. Painting Inc.
Chris Young
847-561-6569
CYPainting.com
J.C. Licht / Epco Paint & Decorating
Kevin Quinn
121 s. Northwest Hwy.
Barrington 847-381-2800
JCLicht.com/store/barrington
Lee Perot Design
Hayley Eissler
LeePerotDesign@sbcglobal.net
847-382-0617
