Fairbanks officials and representatives from various design and construction companies gathered at the elementary school Friday. The group broke ground on the first phase of a large, two-part construction project planned for the district. Phase one is an addition to the elementary school while phase two will be additions and renovations to the middle and high school building. Pictured from left to right are Adham Schirg, superintendent; Taylor Luth with Garmann-Miller; Ashley Thompson, FES principal; Lisa Adkins, school board member; Angie Bouic, school board member; Mark Lippencott, school board member; Brian Phelps, school board member; Derek Nicol, school board member; Andrew Lucas, Elford Construction; Dan Wright, WD Excavating; Ethan Fusek, Elford Construction; Bill Kay, Elford Construction and Jay Tadena, Elford Construction.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson)
—
Fairbanks has officially broken ground on its construction project that will see new additions and renovations to the district campus.
Late last week, officials held a groundbreaking ceremony behind the elementary school building which kicks off phase one of two phases of work that will happen to the school over the coming years.
Superintendent Adham Schirg said the ceremony is the culmination of years worth of work to make this project happen.
“Today’s groundbreaking symbolizes the work done over the last three years by students, staff, parents, community members and district partners,” he said. “It represents the hard work of a community that pulls together and finds solutions to support each other now as well to the future.”
He said he’s grateful for the contributions district and community members have made in that time to bring the project to fruition.
Schirg also acknowledged the work of the master facility task force, the group of parents and community members that gave input on how the updates would be done. They also helped ensure the new work addressed facilities needs and what district officials refer to as the “three c’s.” That includes: capacity, or enrollment, classroom availability and district growth; curriculum, or facilities and space that meet needs of learners graduating to college, the workforce or military and capital improvements, or HVAC, school security and safety and other physical improvements.
Phase one focuses on an addition to the southeast corner of the elementary school building, currently featuring the basketball courts and recess area. The addition will bring many opportunities to the district, including not having to have preschool offerings off-campus.
“It is the first step in our master facility plan. The six new classrooms will allow for preschool to come to Fairbanks’ campus, relocate classrooms from common spaces like our media center and prepare for the growth happening across our school district,” said Schirg. “This is truly exciting for everyone connected to Fairbanks Local Schools.”
Ashley Thompson, the elementary school principal, said she’s proud and grateful to be part of the first expansion of the building that was built in 2007.
“Our ability to serve students is impacted by our ability to maximize the three c’s,” she said. “Currently, each of those areas are impacted as our 466 Panthers are filling every space and then some.”
She said the music classes currently take place in the media center, teachers are sharing classrooms and meetings with students or gifted classes take place in whatever rooms are available.
“When we say we are thankful, we truly are. Adding six classrooms, two intervention spaces and the furnishings needed to create optimal learning experiences will do just that,” Thompson said. “We hope that this addition will not only enable and broaden our ability to enhance learning, but will excite students for their journey yet to come at Fairbanks.”
Phase one will be paid for out of current general and permanent improvement funds at a cost around $3 million.
Other funding going to the second phase, which will include work to the middle and high school building, will come from a combination of November ballot initiatives. That will include making the current .25% income tax a continuing levy, which is money already being paid by residents.
It will also include a mixed income and property tax measure to raise the remaining funds. That will be a .25% income tax and 1.85 mil in property tax to raise $23,000,000.
With the groundbreaking last week and the start of construction in the coming weeks, district officials said the new addition should be ready for the start of 2024-2025 school year next August.