Central Valley School District closes in on ambitious building blitz
As a number of new Central Valley School District schools open this week, an ambitious building blitz draws to a close.
The construction was made possible by a $121.9 million construction bond passed by voters in 2015 – the first bond approved by voters in 17 years.
The construction and renovation will allow the district to meet new state mandated K-3 class size reductions, while also improving school safety and neighborhood school accessibility, according to a district publication.
The linchpin of the district’s building effort was the remodeling of an old Yoke’s supermarket. That building now houses Mica Peak, the district’s alternative high school and the Early Learning Center for children between 4 weeks and 6 years old.
Although in the same building, the two schools are separated.
The 2015 bond increases the district’s elementary school capacity to 6,738 students for 2018, according to a district publication.
However, the current high schools are over capacity by 1,000 students and the middle schools are projected to be over capacity by 2020.
New buildings include:
- Liberty Creek Elementary (dedicated Aug. 15)
- Ponderosa Elementary (scheduled completion Aug. 2018)
- North Pine Middle School (scheduled completion Aug. 2018)
- Riverbend Elementary (scheduled completion July 2018)
- Central Valley Virtual Learning Center (scheduled completion Sept. 2016)
Schools that were remodeled and expanded include:
- Summit School/Spokane Valley Learning Academy ( completed in January)
- Evergreen Middle School (dedicated Aug. 22)
- Chester Elementary (scheduled dedication Aug. 29)
- Greenacres Elementary (scheduled dedication Aug. 24)
- Opportunity Elementary (scheduled dedication December)
- Sunrise Elementary (scheduled dedication Sept. 14)
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