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Greg Oliver

Oconee County School Board Chairman Andy Inabinet welcomes those in attendance at Sunday’s formal dedication of the new Blue Ridge Elementary School. Inabinet served as principal of Code Elementary, which combined with Kellett Elementary in forming the new school, for 17 years prior to his 2005 retirement and was elected to the school board in 2006.

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Greg Oliver

Ellee Cromer, a fourth-grade student, was among a number of Blue Ridge Elementary School students that conducted classroom tours of the new facility during Sunday’s formal dedication. Ellee’s tour group included, from left, Bob and Fran Hanson and Greg Thomas, with U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett’s office.

SENECA — Blue Ridge Elementary School, which officially opened last month to 650 pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students and 106 faculty and staff members, welcomed the public through its doors during a formal dedication Sunday afternoon.

“It’s been a wonderful project,” said Andy Inabinet, chairman of the Oconee County Board of Trustees and former principal of Code Elementary School that, along with J.N. Kellett Elementary, combined to form Blue Ridge. “We have wonderful schools in Oconee County, and you should be proud as citizens and taxpayers. This is a top-notch, top-of-the-line school.”

Inabinet also acknowledged the tight timeline of having the school ready in time for the first day of school Aug. 17, adding, “We were really close to getting in here on time, and a lot of you came out to help.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, that featured school and district administration, school board members and, most importantly, students, a formal program was held inside the facility. Once the ceremony concluded, students led visitors on a tour of classrooms.

Principal Kathy Eichler, who succeeded Inabinet at Code and will guide Blue Ridge Elementary through its inaugural year, told audience members that the school is “a memory maker” and “our children’s home away from home.”

“We spend more waking hours here than we do with our own families,” Eichler said.

Eichler said the school also has high behavior standards for students and works to emphasize the importance of community.

“Our children learn responsibility for themselves, their community and to each other,” she said. “Our school belongs to you, our community, and we want it to serve as a source of pride for you. Together, we can do what it takes to make this school a successful haven for our children.”

Harry Mays Jr., who formerly served as chairman of the Oconee County Board of Trustees, was a board member when they voted unanimously in March 2007 to purchase land across from Seneca Baptist Church on South Oak Street for the purpose of building a new school. The name Blue Ridge Elementary was eventually chosen and, two-and-a-half years later, Mays was among the open house visitors.

“It is truly a vision that came true,” Mays said.

The school includes a 4,000-square-foot media center, a science lab, arts room and two computer labs, capable of housing 30 computers; a cafetorium, featuring a platform area and a passage for exiting to the back of the storage room from the music room; and architectural type features on the ceiling that are designed to enhance acoustics. The school gymnasium is nearing completion.

The front entrance features a second set of doors to provide enhanced security while the interior includes color schemes of yellow and red, green and orange for the four hallways.

Once the new school finally received permission for occupancy, teachers had a brief time to set up classrooms. On Sunday, nearly four weeks since students reported for the first day of classes, the atmosphere was more relaxed as teachers were able to show visitors the finished product.

“We’re glad we’re able to be open and have the public here,” said Paige Quarles, a third-grade teacher. “We’re thankful everything is in place, and that the technology is structurally ready. It’s been a lot of work, and I couldn’t have done it without those who came in and worked extra hours.

“This has been special for all of us.”