Land Purchase Approved For New School Site in Spanish Springs

By Carla O’Day

An $8.1 million land acquisition for a new middle school in Spanish Springs expected to open in two years was approved Tuesday by Washoe County School District trustees.

The new middle school, which has yet to be named, will house sixth through eighth graders and be modeled similarly to Depoali Middle School in south Reno. It’s expected to relieve crowding at Shaw Middle School and at several area elementary schools once sixth graders are moved out of elementary schools and into middle school.

The 31.84-acre parcel is located between David Allen and Kiley parkways in the Kiley Ranch North development and owned by developer Rising Tides LLC. About 20 acres will be used for the middle school with the remaining acreage available for an elementary school in the future.

Joe Gabica, district interim chief facilities management officer, said the developer has already spent millions on roads, sewer, power and water, among other infrastructure. This will save time on school construction but work needs to get underway soon to ensure a fall 2019 opening date, he said.

“We need to break ground in late fall or early winter to stay on schedule,” Gabica said.

Plans for Kiley Ranch North consist of 4,463 new single-family homes. The district is anticipating 1,236 additional elementary school students, 286 middle school students and 607 high school students once the development is built out.

Voters approved a sales tax increase of 0.54 cents per $100 spent that is expected to raise $781 million during the next nine years to build 15 new schools. Consumers saw sales tax increase from 7.725 percent to 8.265 percent this past spring.

In Other Action

• The board approved a 10-cent increase in the price of school lunches. Prices will go from $2.60 to $2.70 in elementary schools, and from $2.75 to $2.85 in secondary schools. Adjustments are made occasionally based on the federal reimbursement rate.
• A $16,000 contract with Sawyer Education Consulting and OnStrategy for the next annual evaluation of Superintendent Traci Davis was approved.
• The board approved an amended budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. To balance the budget, it’s pulling the final $1.6 million from its unresolved property tax lawsuit fund.

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