By Cheryl Conway
Hundreds of students, staff and parents are being included in the bigger picture of turning Tinc Rd. School into a more colorful place for learning.
A giant mural is being painted down the middle hallways at the elementary school that reflects the theme “Learning From Yesterday To Prepare Us For The Future.” Sketching began in April and the completed mural is aimed for next week, just in time for its May 23 unveiling during the school art show and fourth and fifth grade choral concert, says Scott Lipson, Tinc Rd. School principal.
The transformation of the plain blue and white walls into realistic pictures highlighting landmarks in Mt. Olive and happenings at Tinc is refreshing.
“It’s so colorful, so beautiful,” says Lipson. “So far it’s been an amazing experience, to see the kids’ faces after they paint something. Everyone’s so enlightened by this.”
Funds for the mural came through a teacher’s grant- The NJEA Pride Grant, which promotes community building and community in the schools, explains Lipson. He had submitted his application for the grant in November 2018, receiving approval right before Thanksgiving.
The idea for the school mural project was initiated last year when the students at Tinc participated in a mosaic, which involved putting pieces together for a wall.
“That community activity brought the entire school in,” says Lipson. He wanted a similar experience but this time creating a mural.
A committee was formed and involved a parent, art teacher, artist and another teacher. The community, parents and students were then surveyed to brainstorm ideas for the mural.
Lipson brought in Caren Olmsted, a muralist that he had worked with previously at another school district. Olmsted, who is involved with the Morris Arts for Education organization, has been creating murals throughout New Jersey for the past 10 years, says Lipson, with Tinc being about her 64th school mural.
During the week of April 22, parent volunteers came into Tinc to help Olmsted sketch the background for the mural.
Then during the week of May 1, every class at Tinc had a 45-minute mini lesson with Olmsted to understand “why they are doing it and how it will last,” says Lipson. They were then assigned a session each day to work on the mural.
“She sketched out the entire mural,” says Lipson. “She assigns certain groups and classes and components; you are doing the grass, you are doing the sunflowers…and each student will put hand-prints in the grass.”
Participants included all 455 students in grades K-fifth, parent volunteers and about 50 staff members including teachers, aids, administrators and nurse. This past Monday, after school, staff night was held inviting all staff to help paint and touch up the mural.
Two Mt. Olive police officers even stopped in during school hours on May 1 to help out with painting the mural.
The 100 ft. long mural is located right in the middle hallways of Tinc School. Lined on both sides of the hallway, each side measures about 50 ft., says Lipson.
One side of the hallway features landmarks of Mt. Olive such as Stephens Farm, Budd Lake, Turkey Brook Park and public library to help the student learn about the history of the town.
“This whole area was filled with dairy farms,” says Lipson, so cows and dairy farms and a field of sunflowers are highlighted.
The other side of the hallway displays Tinc Rd. School with bubbles describing noted events and locations such as the school variety show, playground, buddy bench, map of N.J.
“One side our town, who we are and the past; other side our school,” and what students are doing now, what they did in the past and what they will do in the future, explains Lipson.
A permanent paint was used to leave a lasting impression on the walls and all who helped create it.
Overall purpose of the mural project is “to help brighten the kids’ day,” says Lipson. “It’s beautiful, it’s colorful. Every student now has a hand-print.” When the time comes for students to leave Tinc Rd. School, “they are going to have a lasting legacy to being part of this building.”
Just as important, “That they did it together having a community feel,” adds Lipson.
“It’s absolutely beautiful, it’s wonderful,” says Lipson. “Seeing how much is done in a week and a half, it’s amazing. She [Olmsted] has such an amazing vision, as an artist always thinking and planning for something new.
School-Wide Renovations
This past summer, Tinc had undergone several school-wide renovations, says Lipson.
Some permanent walls were put up; bathrooms were updated and renovated; all of the kids’ furniture from desks to chairs have been replaced with new; black ceiling tiles in the hallways were removed and replaced with colored circle tiles.
“It’s all very colorful and bright,” says Lipson.
