Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods Gives Back: Adams Elementary School Teachers Lounge

Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods has deep roots in Norman, Oklahoma. 

We’ve called Norman our corporate home for more than 30 years and have built many communities throughout the city. We take immense pride and joy in giving back more than 10% of profits to organizations throughout the state and beyond, but especially enjoy giving back to the cities in which we build. Education is one of the areas we feel strongly about supporting.

Erin Yarbrough, director of marketing at Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods, recently saw an opportunity for Ideal to make a big impact at Adams Elementary School in Norman. Several of the Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods communities feed into Adams Elementary, including the one where Erin and her family live.

“Through my work with the PTA, I learned that the teachers lounge at Adams was incredibly outdated and quite unusable in some ways for the teachers at the school,” Erin explained.

That realization sparked an idea.

When Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods sells a model home, the furniture that was used to stage the home is repurposed for other model homes or used elsewhere in the company. But there are some times when furniture is no longer needed and she wondered if they could repurpose some of that furniture to update the teachers lounge. 

She asked Ronda McKown, who oversees Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods’ philanthropic efforts, to visit the lounge and see if there was any furniture that could be donated.

“Ronda took one look at the lounge and felt like we could make an even bigger impact on the school than just donating furniture,” Erin said. “She recruited our partners to help renovate the entire space from top to bottom over the summer!”

Partnering with Adams Elementary principal Patty Thomason and representatives from Norman Public Schools, a team from Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods designed a new teachers’ lounge that would be inviting and, more importantly, tailored to meet the teachers’ daily needs.

What began as an idea to donate furniture turned into a full floor-to-ceiling renovation of the teachers’ lounge – including its bathroom and kitchen – as well as the adjoining teacher resource room. Over the course of the summer, Ronda worked day and night along with very generous partners to renovate the space and ensure it was ready to go by the beginning of the 2025 school year. 

Thanks to our incredible partners, we gutted the entire space and started from scratch. 

"After being in this building for over half my life, the renovation to the teachers lounge gave me chills when I got to see it. It has meant the world to the teachers. The excitement that it has built between our staff, both past and present, has given us a sense of pride in our school," says Principal Patty Thomason.

Here’s what we changed.

• New solid-surface flooring throughout and updated ceiling tiles with improved lighting.
• A brand-new kitchen with quartz countertops and modern appliances.
• Bathrooms reconfigured from two small rooms into one larger space with a sink.
• The teachers’ resource room refreshed with its own custom mural and matching tables replacing worn folding tables.
• Comfortable new furniture in the lounge — including a sofa, counter-height tables and stools, and a dining table with chairs.
• New artwork and decor.

"It means so much to us. We feel so appreciative and honored for this beautiful teachers lounge," says Adams kindergarten teacher Julie Clouston.

This project would not have been possible without our incredible corporate partners. We’re grateful to:

• Tops by Cops
• Bedlam Electric
• Brewer Carpet One
• L&W Drywall Supply
• DW Drywall
• Lowe's Home Improvement
• LifeStyles Lighting
• Metro Appliances
• Plumbing Solutions
• Phillip Mayes
• Tori Ness
• Roger Shores

“Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods has always been committed to giving back to our communities; however, this project feels really special. It allowed us to directly encourage and equip the teachers who pour into the lives of children who live in many of Norman’s Ideal neighborhoods,” Erin said.

Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods is proud to be a locally owned and operated homebuilder in Oklahoma. We build new homes in with customizable designs throughout the Oklahoma City metro, Norman, Stillwater, Edmond, and beyond. That means we build homes for our neighbors and friends.

With flexible floorplans, energy-efficient design, and a focus on community living, Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods is often considered the best homebuilder in Oklahoma.

Ideal Homes and Neighborhoods has options for people in every stage of life – from kids in elementary school to young professionals to retirees. Ready for your own Ideal home? Visit www.idealhomes.com to explore our communities and find the perfect fit for you!