One tile at a time: Future students help create mural

Joe Tazelaar helps his 5-year-old son, Ethan, decide what to draw last week on a tile that will be added to a wall in Sycamore’s North Grove Elementary School. Ethan is among 400 students who will attend the new school. (Carrie Frillman - cfrillman@daily-chronicle.com)

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Sycamore resident Jill Thomas was excited to make her mark last week on a school she has not yet attended.

The 5-year-old was among about 250 elementary students Friday who helped make tiles for a wall in Sycamore’s new North Grove Elementary School. About 400 students will attend the school next year, and administrators hope all are able to create their own clay tile for a terra-cotta texture mural that will line one of its hallways.

“I think the most exciting part of a new building is establishing something in the community that everyone can be a part of,” said Ryan Janisch, the school’s principal.

Janisch also made a tile during the workshop last week.

As kids filed Friday into the art room of Sycamore High School they were handed a blank piece of clay.

Tools, like wooden sticks, pine cones and sea shells, were used to create textures in the 6-by-6 inch squares. Students were able to draw whatever they wanted on the tiles, as long as they didn’t write words or their names, coordinators said.

“We kind of want them to focus more on texture and design,” said Dawn Cavanaugh, chairwoman of the district’s art department. “We want every student to be represented in a way they choose.”

Jill drew a picture of herself, holding the hand of her best friend, Hannah, who will also be attending North Grove. Although the two are not in the same class, they will probably see each other on the playground, Jill said.

“I’m going to be making lots of new friends, but Hannah is always going to be my friend,” Jill said, while pushing a pine cone into her tile to make a tree. “I’m excited because my school is brand new.”

The new elementary school is named after a 130-year-old schoolhouse located on Brickville Road. The original North Grove School is the only one-room schoolhouse in DeKalb County that still stands in its original location.

Some members of the North Grove School Association attended the texture mural workshop – they drew pictures of the schoolhouse on their tiles – to help commemorate the school’s namesake.

Students’ parents were also in tow. Joe Tazelaar guided his son’s hand during the art project. Ethan, 5, decided to imprint his hand in the tile and draw an outline of a camper.

“I’m really excited for him to start kindergarten,” Joe Tazelaar said. “He’s done really well in preschool and everything I’ve heard about the teachers and staff coming over from different schools is just awesome.”

Parents were glad the kids were given a chance to take ownership of their new school by completing the project, they said. Many believed the activity would help build pride for the facility.

“I think it’s a really good idea to get the kids involved,” said Beth Dix, as she watched her daughter, Kassie, and her son, Cody, make their tiles. “This is basically establishing their roots in the community. The wall is going to be a permanent reflection of them.”

If you go

Each student that will be attending North Grove Elementary School in Sycamore next academic year is invited to design his or her own tile for a texture mural in the school. Those who missed last week’s workshop can make it up from 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday. Workshops are held in the art room of Sycamore High School.