Higley USD will celebrate the start of construction Sept. 6 on an academic building at Higley High School. 

The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the school, 4068 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert. 

“We are excited to have a new academic building on our campus at Higley High,” Higley High School Principal Alan Fields said in a release from the district. “The growth in enrollment at our school has been substantial in recent years and is projected to continue. To accommodate for this growth, we have worked hard to bring this project to life, with careful planning and design meetings with our school and the community. Now we get to watch our vision for this addition to our campus come to life.” 

The 20,000 square-foot academic building is a result of a growing student population. Enrollment has increased from 1,869 students during the 2018-19 school year to 2,234 students this year, creating the need for additional space to accommodate instructional activities.  

The new building will feature 12 classrooms and an expansive lecture hall for large group gatherings. Students, staff and community members were involved in the planning and design process, offering input through a series of four community meetings. 

DLR Group is the design firm for the project and CHASSE Building Team is serving as construction manager. The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2023. 

“Our design creates more flexibility for students to reshape their environment to meet their daily needs,” DLR Group Principal Carmen Wyckoff said in the release. “We’ve also added space where students can collaborate and work collectively on projects. Larger windows provide greater access to natural sunlight and views to the outdoors to keep students engaged in their learning.” 

CHASSE Building Team President Barry Chasse said his firm members are thrilled to be part of the project. 

“We are particularly excited about the exterior gathering areas where students can collaborate during the day, and school supporters can meet and root for the Knights in the evening,” he said in the release. “This is truly a one-of-a-kind project, and we look forward to bringing the vision to life.”