The Margaret Elementary School off County Rd. 12 is now one of the many beacons of learning in St. Clair.

Built to accommodate students in the Argo and Margaret area, its spacious classrooms, science lab, library and cafatorium are part of the growing St. Clair County educational program.

Principal Joe Goble, who was formerly at Odenville Intermediate School, said he and his faculty are glad to welcome students to the new school.

“I feel very fortunate to be the first administrator at Margaret Elementary,” he said. “In most careers, one doesn’t get that kind of an opportunity.”

The school is staffed from faculty formerly in the Springville and Odenville schools.

Four schools—Springville Middle and Elementary and Odenville Intermediate and Elementary—donated teachers to educate youth in Margaret.

Moving into the building wasn’t easy, but Goble said that thanks to people devoting their time and Buckner Barrels of Springville donating equipment to help get moved in, things went well.

“Really, our summer was spent playing the waiting game,” Goble explained.

He said that the biggest hurdle was “waiting for the building to be turned over to us by the construction company.”

The school has 32 teachers and seven other faculty members. It also has a library and media specialist, counselor and a school nurse.

The cafetorium in the center of the school will be used as a multipurpose room. It has an elevated stage for students to witness and take part in programs throughout the school year.

There are two courtyards flanking the cafetorium. “Those will serve a great purpose as an outdoor classroom,” Goble said.

The school also has a computer lab, a large library and media area with natural light streaming through the large windows, an art classroom and a full-fledged science lab.

The exterior of the building may well be the most stunning of all the schools in the county. The front has a second story with windows mimicking a Colonial-era cottage.

Goble was hired during the first part of the Margaret Elementary School project, something that has been in the works for a number of years.

On Tuesday, the day before classes began, Goble said that there are 451 students already registered and added “we’re registering kids every hour.”

The school can accommodate up to 750 students.

The school opened its doors Monday evening for registration and Goble admitted Tuesday that he had been at the school nearly every waking hour in the lead up to yesterday’s first day of classes.

“It’s one of the busiest times of the school year because of all the registration that happens,” he said.

When one walks into the hallway of the front lobby, they walk past a large, glass case that shows pictures of the teachers and their families and their likes. Class rosters are next to the teachers’ photos because, as Goble said, “We’re a family and we displayed it like we’re a family. This is showing that they’re part of our family, too.”

There are also historical Margaret and Argo photos in the case, highlighting where the area has been next to its leaders of tomorrow.

“We want to convey that this is a community school and we’re trying to develop a family of community,” he said.

To reach the new school by telephone, dial (205) 629-5034.