Meet the musk oxen

MAT-SU — Students, teachers and staff at the Mat-Su Borough School District’s newest school have been dedicated over the first few weeks of the new school year. After tonight, their building will be as well.

Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School, the district’s 43rd school, opened its doors in August to become the state’s first “green” school, said district spokeswoman Catherine Esary. The school will be dedicated tonight at a 6 p.m. ceremony that will feature a speech from Traeger Machetanz, son of the building’s namesakes.

“The district is really excited,” Esary said. “This is a new prototype. It’s the first LEED-certified school in the state of Alaska.”

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Among the features in the $17 million project is ample natural light, an open 39-foot high central atrium and a movable wall that allows for configuration of multiple spaces.

Since opening six weeks ago, the vibe at Machetanz Elementary has been upbeat and energetic, said principal Tom Lytle.

“Things have been running really well,” he said. “There’s been a lot of energy on the part of staff and the community. It’s a lot of fun seeing the kids getting involved and taking some ownership. It’s all been very positive.”

The movable wall in the school’s common area has already come in handy, Lytle said. It allows teachers to create more specific spaces for activities that may be too involved for a classroom, yet not interfere with the surrounding classes.

“We’ve worked with the wall closed several times,” he said. “We closed it down one time for our fifth-graders to do some science activities.”

The design of the school allows for multiple community uses outside of the regular school day, Esary said.

“For instance, there are plans for when the community wants to use the gym, they can without going through the rest of the school,” she said. “There’s an entrance at the back of the school. This should be a 21st-century home away from home, a place where communities meet and serve together, work together, play together.”

Although new, there have been some changes at Machetanz Elementary School since its doors opened. Students have chosen the musk ox as their mascot, and the school’s official color is camouflage.

The Machetanz Musk Ox has been embraced by the students, Lytle said. Musk ox was chosen by students over other suggestions, including a polar bear. Polar bears were favorite subjects in the artwork of Fred Machetanz. Also on the ballot were mountain lions, malamutes, snakes and bunnies.

As for camouflage, the greens and browns incorporated therein will go nicely with musk ox, Lytle said. It beat out other color combinations, including blue and green, blue and gold, ruby red and gold, and pink and purple.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

IF YOU GO

What: Dedication of Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School.

When: 6 p.m. tonight.

Where: 4691 E. Nelson Road, Wasilla (for directions, call 864-2300).

More: The ceremony will feature an address from Mat-Su Borough Mayor Talis Colberg and a keynote address from Traeger Machetanz, son of Fred and Sara Machetanz. Also, students will sing “The Alaska Flag Song” and Teeland Middle School’s jazz band will perform.