South Reno can expect a new middle school and Spanish Springs can expect a new elementary school by fall 2020, according to the Washoe County School District.
The middle school will be built for about 1,400 sixth through eighth grade students in the vicinity of Arrowcreek Parkway and Thomas Creek Road. The 745-student capacity elementary school will be adjacent to Sky Ranch Middle School, which is currently under construction on Windmill Farms Road in Spanish Springs’ Kiley Ranch area.
A town hall meeting to discuss the middle school is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at Hunsberger Elementary School, 2505 Crossbow Court. The school is expected to accommodate projected growth in the area and relieve overcrowding at area middle schools and some elementary schools. The district is in the process of moving sixth graders out of elementary schools and into middle schools.
The elementary school will relieve crowding at schools in the Spanish Springs area, which are among Washoe County’s largest and most crowded.
Bonds totaling $300 million are expected to be issued during the next 18 months based on the timing of projects and cash flow needs. Prior to final board approval, the district’s Capital Funding Protection Committee will hear and vote on plans in coming months.
“We won’t issue bonds until that’s occurred,” Mark Mathers, district chief financial officer, told trustees Tuesday. “Because of the timeline required to issue debt, it needs to take place before that.”
This money will be used to finance the acquisition, construction, repair, and renovation of schools. In addition to the Arrowcreek-area middle school and Kiley Ranch-area elementary school, funds will also go toward the high school at the Wildcreek Golf Course scheduled to open in fall 2022.
Schools to open in two years haven’t been named yet but the middle school will be modeled after Depoali Middle School with technology and safety improvements. The elementary building will be a new two-story design identical to Poulakidas Elementary School, which is scheduled to open in fall 2019 off Mojave Sky Drive in the South Meadows.
Along with Poulakidas, Sky Ranch and Desert Skies middle schools are scheduled to open in fall 2019. Desert Skies is off Donetello Road in Sun Valley.
Funds for school construction are coming from November 2016’s 0.54 percent voter-approved sales tax increase. Such dollars can go only toward construction of and refurbishing of facilities. This money cannot be used for teacher or administrator salaries or other school operations.
The 11-member Capital Funding Protection Committee consists of Washoe County Commissioners Jeanne Herman and Bob Lucey, Reno City Council members David Bobzien and Paul McKenzie, and Sparks City Council members Charlene Bybee and Kristopher Dahir. Other members are Mike Cate, who represents the construction industry; Scott Evans from the gaming sector, Ben Hutchins from the public works trade, Dave Solaro from the engineering field, and Tim Rowe from the general public.
CONFIRMED TARGETED OPENING DATES FOR NEW SCHOOLS:
Desert Skies Middle School, Sun Valley – Fall 2019
Sky Ranch Middle School, Spanish Springs – Fall 2019
Poulakidas Elementary School, South Reno – Fall 2019
Arrowcreek-area middle school, South Reno – Fall 2020
Kiley Ranch-area elementary school, Spanish Springs – Fall 2020
Wildcreek-area high school, West Sparks – Fall 2022
Hug High School repurposing – Fall 2023
Source: http://www.wcsdbuilding.com
