Pupils from Campsie View and Merkland Schools have buried a time capsule at their new school Woodland View in the hope of sharing their stories and keepsakes with future generations.
To commemorate the opening of the new building and the merging of the schools, pupils and staff filled and buried a time capsule that includes school clothing, pottery made by the pupils, drawings of the new school, a newspaper and a memory stick filled with videos that the pupils made during lockdown where they talked about their hopes for their new school.
Headteacher of Woodland View School, Kay Hunter, said, “We had great fun deciding what to put in the time capsule with lots of interesting and creative ideas from the children. They were keen to include their own artwork and pottery which is a lovely touch. The memory stick contains lockdown videos; it was an emotional job putting it all together but was a thrill for the pupils and another great experience for them.”
To mark our 170th year we provided an anniversary flag for inclusion in the capsule with East Dunbartonshire Council providing a Council lapel badge.
Gary McLeary, Project Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Ltd, said, “It was fantastic to welcome the students back to site to bury their time capsule. It’s been a pleasure to be involved with the students and staff throughout the project journey and see their excitement develop at the same rate as the build. Furthermore, it’s been an honour to be able to plant some memories of McLaughlin and Harvey along with the school’s, particularly during our historic 170th year.”
The new £39.4m Additional Support Needs school opens in August, bringing the two schools together to work, learn and play in the modern, fully-equipped building. The new school will accommodate around 200 children and young people from ages 2- 18 when it opens in August 2023.
It has been designed to be both practical and stimulating for pupils with a broad range of additional support needs, featuring many open spaces, a sensory trail leading from ground to first floor and extra wide lifts for wheelchair users.
There is an emphasis on outdoor play with landscaping and a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). A full-size grass football pitch and biodiversity area will also be available for community use.
Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, Gordan Low, helped bury the historical item. He said, “This is such an exciting project for the children and young people to be involved in. The construction of Woodland View School is a big story for the local history books and they are playing an active part in it. They have chosen the items well and it is fascinating to imagine how and when it might be opened in decades to come.”