More on Schools

The Gilbert Independent also talks about school openings (and namings) today:

The Gilbert Unified School District is on track to open its 27th elementary school, fifth-junior high school and fifth-high school.

GUSD Director of Planning and Development Keith Vaughan said the new elementary school, at 3660 E. Park Ave., north of Elliot Road and west of Recker Road, is scheduled to open in August.

“The school is built to hold 850 students and will open with an enrollment of 600 students,” Mr. Vaughan said. “It will serve the Morrison Ranch area, Park Avenue south to Elliot Road.”

He said the school remains un-named and will be named about the same time a principal is chosen for the school.

Traditionally, GUSD refrains from naming schools after individuals, opting to name schools after the communities they serve.

“We stay away from people’s names,” he said. “People have a tendency to argue over what names should be used. Instead we name schools after streets, subdivisions or specific communities.”

The new elementary school campus will will encompass 10 acres and may cost more than $8 million to build. GUSD hires HDA Architects and Hubbard Professional Engineers to construct its facilities.

“This school will be built exactly like the other elementary schools in our district,” Mr. Vaughan said. “It will resemble Greenfield, Sonoma Ranch and Carol Rae Ranch elementary schools in design and size. We use a prototype for efficiency and cost savings. Due to Hurricane Katrina and the impact it had on construction costs, the school may cost more to build than our estimate of $8 million.”

Read the rest of the article for more information on the junior high and high school.