Next week, members of Bonneville Joint School District 93 will decide if the proposed $43 million bond passes to build a new elementary school and make some updates to a few of the older schools in the area.
The vote takes place this upcoming Tuesday, August 27. If the bond passes, the new school and additions are expected to be ready for the 2021 school year.
The new elementary school location would be built just northwest of the Iona community. There are currently more than 1,000 new homes being built there.
“Those students that live in that area right now, are zoned to go to Discovery Elementary, which is just south of that, but means they are crossing a very busy road,” said Dr. Scott Woolstenhoulme, superintendent of District 93. “If this bond is approved, then those students will be able to walk to the school without having to cross a major intersection which will significantly improve the safety for those kids.”
Along with the new school construction, the district is also planning to make some additions and upgrades to Bonneville High School and Hillcrest High School. The district just added the newly opened Thunder Ridge High School, but Woolstenhoulme said this has created an opportunity to complete the new additions without displacing students at the older schools.
“If we don’t do those additions now, and those schools get back over capacity it is going to be very difficult to do additions to them,” Woolstenhulme said.
There are 260-300 new students attending the school district every year, with a growth rate in the school district averaging 2-3 percent each year. That means over the next five years the district will need to have room for up to 1,500 new students on top of their current 13,000 student count.
“We know the growth is coming,” Woolstenhoulme said. “Now is the right time to do the additions so they are in place as it comes.”