From the Bulletin: Iconic Grace House Refreshed

During the construction of the new Dining Hall & Commons, the John-Christophe Schlesinger Library and its adjacent areas were transformed to serve as a temporary kitchen and cafeteria until the completion of the new facility. During that year, the Grace House Committee was formed with the charge of determining how best to utilize those spaces once construction was completed.

 

The library will continue to be known as the John-Christophe Schlesinger Library, named for John Schlesinger ’89 who died in a car accident in 1997. The committee was overjoyed to continue to honor his name. The Schlesinger family met with the committee throughout the planning process and they recognized, as did the committee, the need to evolve and modernize our library.

 

The committee considered input from faculty and staff, and researched modern day libraries. In particular, the committee studied the work of John Palfrey, author of Biblio Tech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever In The Age of Google. Palfrey is also Head of School at Phillips Academy Andover where John’s sister, Katie Schlesinger Fates ’91, attended boarding school. After careful thought and discussion, the committee recommended that our future library be a hybrid of traditional and technological practices. In the redesigned space, you will see the familiar sight of books lining the walls and cozy places for reading and thanks to a gift from the Amicus Foundation, a hands-on maker lab with the tools for designing, creating, building and inventing.

 

Also, thanks to a gift from the Class of ’89, the room is filled with tables and chairs on wheels, rolling whiteboards and moveable soft furniture which allows for flexibility in creating multiple learning environments. The Library serves as a community space for everyone; it creates opportunities for learning and helps to shape new ideas that enrich the student experience. Borrowing Palfrey’s words, the library will be a “lab for the scholar.” A scholar is definitely how we would describe John Schlesinger.

 

The Admission Office has moved to the first floor of Grace House near the lobby, creating a more accessible and welcoming experience for prospective families. The Head of School and Assistant to the Head of School offices were also relocated to adjoin this new admissions space. The telephone office now sits on the other side of the lobby and the former Head of School Office has been converted to a flexible conference and sitting area. The Grace House Lobby was refurbished with fresh paint, carpet, lighting, and reupholstered new furniture. Structurally the lobby remained, with the beautiful staircases and fireplace as the focal point as you enter through the front doors.

 

The Parents’ Association School Store moved to a bright space in between the Grace House Lobby and Carver Commons. This new space is inviting and provides a more visible, central location for New Canaan Country School spirit wear.

 

The Performing Arts Department received additional classroom spaces by repurposing rooms surrounding the auditorium. It now has a centralized wing comprised of three large dedicated music rooms, a practice room, and an additional flex room that can be used for an extension of performing arts, film, innovation or classroom experiences. The entire area was refurbished with new paint, carpet, lighting and colorful acoustical panels for soundproofing.