Two New Schools to Open This Fall
by Alison Benson
Sioux City Community School
District is excited to open two new schools this fall. Leeds
Elementary School will replace the existing Leeds building, as well
as Hawthorne and Lowell Elementary Schools. Unity Elementary School
will replace McKinley and Grant Elementary Schools, as well as some
students from Whittier and Leeds Elementary Schools. Both schools
are being designed with distinctive instructional wings, which
maximizes student learning.
The new Leeds Elementary School is being built around the existing
school, which will be demolished at the end of May. A small portion
of the existing building will be used for the new school. When
finished, the new Leeds Elementary School will be 92,631 square
feet and have a capacity for 650 students. It was designed by FEH
Associates and is being built by Brown Construction. To view
pictures on the progress of the construction, please click here to
visit the Leeds
Elementary web Page.
According to Principal Dr. Rita Vannatta the school has been designed to provide the ideal learning environment. “The east wing will house three preschools, five kindergarten classrooms, and five first grade classrooms. An observation glass will be installed for teachers to view best practices in teaching reading. The second through fifth graders will attend the state of the art facility in the south wing. There will be separate classrooms for art, general music, and instrumental music. The library will accommodate student and adult learning as well as a technology lab. The gym will be used not only for physical education classes, but music programs, plays, all school assemblies, and community events.”
The new Unity Elementary School is located at 18th and Logan Streets. When finished it will be 88,000 square feet and have a capacity for 450 students. It was designed by Cannon Moss Brygger and Associates and is being built by L&L Builders . To view a slide show on the progress of the construction, please click here to visit the McKinley Elementary School web site.
“This state of the art facility is truly a dream come true for all of our students. Unity is laid out in such a way that it immediately draws your attention toward the most unique features of the entire school, the clock tower and a spherical library,” said Principal Dr. Michael Rogers.
The west wing will house the third through fifth grade classrooms. The north wing houses the first and second grade classrooms as well as a first class art room. The east wing will house pre-school and kindergarten complete with its own separate entrance into the building. Each wing has its own specially designed commons area. The area can be used by students to study, teachers who want a larger space for activities or projects, or by guest readers to read to several classes at one time.
“Sprinkled throughout the wings are English as a Second Language, special education and title classrooms which round out all the different type educational opportunities our new school will be able to provide our students,” said Rogers.
At the center of the wings is the lunchroom which also serves as the general circulation area, as well as a place for general music and band performances. To the north of the lunchroom is the gymnasium.