Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ore. District Breaks Ground on Two New Elementary Schools

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/19/21

The Hermiston School District, located in Hermiston, Ore., celebrated the groundbreaking of two new elementary schools last week. One replacement facility and one new facility are both set to open in the Eastern Oregon district in 2022.

The replacement facility is a new home for Rocky Heights Elementary. It will have a capacity of 600 students and measure in at 73,500 square feet. The $23-million building will be one story and contain 24 classrooms, a library, a gym, and other student common areas. The building will be constructed at the former site of the current school’s athletic fields. Students will continue attending school in the existing building for the 2021-22 academic year until the new school opens in fall 2022. The existing Rocky Heights Elementary was built in 1962 and faces a multitude of maintenance and security issues, according to the East Oregonian.

The other construction is for a new elementary school to be known as Loma Vista Elementary School. Loma Vista will also have capacity for 600 students and have a layout very similar to the new Rocky Heights Elementary. The school is scheduled to open in time for the 2022-23 academic year.

Funds for the construction of both buildings come from an $87.2 million bond that passed in 2019. The bond will also fund a new softball complex for the district, a new classroom annex at Hermiston High School, the purchase of additional property for future construction projects, and upgrades to parking areas at several schools in the district. The district is partnering with BBT Architects for design and Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co. for construction.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.

  • ed tech conference calendar

    Upcoming Awards, Events & Webinars