California District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

Officials from the Del Mar Union School District near San Diego, Calif., gathered at the end of June to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new elementary school. The June 24 event marked the first in-person event for district board and staff since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and future Pacific Sky School students were in attendance with plastic shovels in hand.

“The sky’s the limit for this school, and the district couldn’t be more excited to break ground on our ninth campus,” said DMUSD Superintendent Holly McClurg. “It’s been long planned for the Pacific Highlands Ranch community, and we appreciate the community’s support and patience through this process.”

The new facility will measure in at 67,000 square feet and have a capacity of 480 students aged K–6. Amenities will include 20 classrooms, dedicated STEAM+ spaces, a combination multipurpose room / innovation center, a blacktop play area, and a sports field. OBR Architecture is the architect of record for the project, and construction will be done by the Erickson-Hall Construction Company.

“It feels like yesterday that the school was just an idea on an oversized page of the facilities master plan,” said DMUSD President Erica Halpern. “It really seemed farfetched at the time, since the district didn’t even own the land. It wasn’t even clear that we wanted to own the land or build a school. But our outreach process illuminated what we’ve always known to be a priority: neighborhood schools.”

The new school is currently scheduled to open to students on Aug. 15, 2022.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • Fargo, N.D., Starts Construction on Consolidated Elementary School

    Fargo Public Schools in Fargo, N.D., recently announced the beginning of construction on a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with ICON Architectural Group and Kraus-Anderson Construction on the new Horace Mann Elementary School.