Chastain Construction Update: September 2026

As we approach the end of the term, we also near our move-in date, October 19th, for the new building. It is visible to anyone driving around Chastain that the red-brick building is almost finalized, complete with Galloway’s famous columns. The last step will be filling the school with students! Recently, I met with our Head of School, Amir Farokhi, one last time to answer any last-minute questions. The first question I asked Farokhi was what he was most excited for students to see and experience in the new building. He shared that there are many things students will be delighted by,  including the library. 

“The library is gorgeous,” he said. “It's on the 2nd floor, overlooking the new courtyard. It feels like you're in a college library. I think it's really remarkable.” 

Furthermore, students can expect floor-to-ceiling windows, a distinct quiet section, seating, built-in bookshelves, and more. Beneath the library is the dining commons where seating expands outside to an area with tables, chairs and umbrellas. 

Students have already been told there will be no lockers, however cubby-style cutouts are spread throughout the hallways with individual seating, tables, and bars with stools. The second floor features an outdoor terrace overlooking the golf course (as senior editor, I call dibs on that space!). 

“I don’t think all the furniture’s going to be there on day one,” said Mr. Farokhi. “It’ll trickle in.” 

When you're wondering if the building seems bland, give it some time! The science rooms are styled similarly to the ML building, on two floors with two classrooms stacked on top of each other. 

As students walk through the library, there will be a seating or lounge area where the senior mural will be for years to come (similar to the senior commons). 

One rumor that was addressed was that teachers were not allowed to decorate their classrooms. However, this is false. Each classroom will have two giant whiteboards and a corkboard, which teachers are free to decorate; however, the admin wants teachers to hold off on poking holes into the fresh walls. 

Another rumor going around is that teachers will be sharing classrooms. Most departments have five teachers, and each department gets four classrooms. Teachers of the same subjects will likely have  to share their spaces, but this is similar to Gresham’s structure. Don’t worry about your favorite teachers, as there is a variety of faculty workspaces. 

Hallways will be structured similarly to Northside, with foreign language classes clustered together. Math is split-level like the sciences, and English and Social Sciences will be in the same area. Furthermore, we will all be sharing the lunch room. Early Learning will be physically separated, but we will still be able to see them getting lunch. Middle and Upper Learning will have staggered lunches, returning to our old schedule with a late lunch. 

I asked Mr. Fahroki how he plans to carry the Galloway embodiment into the new building. His answer was heartwarming: “The Galloway vibe is the students. It is you guys, right? So, I mean, bring your full selves!” He carried on, “You can be yourself at school, you intellectually curious and creative people. Celebrate that and the vibes will persist.” 

Fahroki confirms that “this is a new Galloway none of us will have experienced,” but he approaches this with excitement and readiness to see what this entails, especially towards bringing back traditions such as the buddy system and Field Day for the entire school. “I think it's going to be both exciting and euphoric and also challenging,” Mr. Farokhi shares. “The adults on the new campus are going to have to get used to fewer parking spaces, more people around, and congested dining experiences. But at the same time, it’s how the school has been for many years.” He adds, “I’m always amazed how many people only know the school on two different campuses because they’ve only arrived the last two years. [...] They’re like, ‘Oh, your concept of Galloway is not like my concept’.”

The planned move-in is mid-October, meaning trunk-or-treat and the Halloween parade will be happening while we are back on campus. Furthermore, a ribbon-cutting ceremony is in the works. “Upper Learning students will march in and be seated, but seniors will walk in with the kindergarten class,” Mr. Farokhi said. “The numbers work out for a two to one ratio.” He also includes how they’ve reinstalled Mr. Galloway’s old bell, and plans include ringing it on the first day of school. 

Out of curiosity, I asked, “What was the hardest part of this process? ” Mr. Fahroki shared that the process was relatively smooth and the actual building went up very quickly, which I find myself agreeing with. He shares, “The construction firm has been laser-focused on finishing on time. They’ve got everything done.” We have many, many thanks for them! However, Mr. Fahroki answers the question, “I think the hardest part has been thinking through how we get back together, logistically and culturally, where we feel the strength of community and connectedness with one another?” While many of us hold excitement for the move, there is also that small layer of nerves as we are all unsure of how this will go. As we wrap up, Mr. Fahroki shares, “It’s a really special moment. You guys are the only students ever to experience moving back together, and three campuses. It's exciting!”