After announcing plans in August to build a 10th elementary school, the Queen Creek Unified School District is unveiling plans for the new facility.
The new elementary school, currently in its planning and design stages, will be located near the intersection of East Galveston Street and South Mountain Road, according to a recent district press release.
It will serve K-6 students in the district's northern area, which has seen significant growth in recent years. It is set to open in time for the 2025-26 school year.
“The new construction is funded by money awarded from the state School Facilities (Board), which requires an extensive qualification process and is calculated based on schools approaching their capacity,” the release stated. “Limited funding is allocated by the state over the course of two years.”
The district currently has nine elementary schools, two junior high schools and three high schools.
Plans for the new elementary school were revealed at the same time construction of expansions at four other QCUSD schools were announced.
At the Aug. 8 QCUSD Governing Board meeting, board members approved a guaranteed maximum cap of about $28 million in total construction costs for additions at the four schools, with the state’s School Facilities Board paying 100% of the price. The guaranteed maximum price sets a cap on how much will be paid to a contractor for work on a project.
Eastmark High School, in Mesa, is adding a junior high wing. The 39,919-square-foot building will add 23 classrooms to the campus. Construction of the new wing, which is already underway, continues work on the final phase of Eastmark’s planned campus. The new wing will be open in July 2024. The governing board approved a guaranteed maximum of $11.38 million for the addition.
Crismon High School construction is also underway for Phase II of the campus. The addition is a two-story junior high building that will add 18 new classrooms. This building will open July 2024. The governing board approved a guaranteed maximum of $6.9 million for the addition.
Crismon is the newest QCUSD high school, having only opened in 2022. The school was already filled with seventh through 10th graders and this year an 11th grade class was added. The school first opened with more than 1,000 students and, according to district officials, enrollment now stands at about 1,700.
Gateway Polytechnic Academy is adding a two-story, 12-classroom building that is set to open July 2024. The governing board approved a guaranteed maximum of $3.78 million for the addition.
Schnepf Elementary is constructing 14 classrooms, adding 18,332 square feet of space which will open in July 2024. The governing board approved a guaranteed maximum of $4.8 million for the addition.
As for the new elementary school, interior schematics “may change depending on the availability of resources,” the release stated.
In announcing the new expansions and new school, QCUSD has stressed that the district “does not have bond funding for capital projects at this time.”
In June, the QCUSD Governing Board voted to place a $98 million bond for projects over the next five years on the Nov. 7 election ballot.
Last year, Queen Creek residents voted down a $198 million school bond measure over five years. And in 2021, voters rejected a $286 million QCUSD bond proposal over 10 years.
In addition to the $98 million bond, voters will be asked to decide on whether to continue the current 15% maintenance and operations budget override used for teacher salaries, smaller class sizes and ongoing operational and maintenance expenses.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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