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Washington State District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/26/26

Key Takeaways

  • Cheney School District announced plans for a new elementary school in Airway Heights, Washington, expected to open in fall 2027 and serve about 500 students in grades K–5.
  • The project is funded by a $72 million bond approved in 2024 and is intended to reduce overcrowding and eliminate reliance on portable classrooms in the district.
  • District officials say the new school will include expanded facilities such as a larger gym, multipurpose space, and field to better support both students and the broader community.

Cheney School District No. 360 in Spokane County, Wash., recently announced that construction has begun on a new elementary school, according to local news. The district held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 18 in Airway Heights for the yet-to-be-named school, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027. The school will play home to about 500 students in grades K–5.

According to local news, funding comes from a $72-million bond approved by voters in 2024. The purpose of the new facility is to relieve overcrowding in the district’s five existing elementary schools, all of which are operating above capacity and have funneled students into portable classrooms. The district also estimates another 760 students to enroll over the next ten years, 500 from Airway Heights, according to The Spokesman-Review.

“To get out of portables is going to be fantastic,” said Dr. Ben Ferney, district superintendent. “Sunset Elementary, our one elementary school in Airway Heights, is huge; it’s over 600 students. So that is going to be the school that is relieved the most.”

The district partnered with Intergus Architecture and Garco Construction for the project’s design and construction, respectively.

“With that growth, obviously, you build schools where the kids are. So being able to build here is awesome,” Ferney said. “It’s got a larger gym, it’s got a larger multipurpose space, it’s got a huge field. So I think the community use is going to be pretty big.”

About the Author

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

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