The beginning of the new school year marked the end of roughly $187 million worth of construction and renovations in the Blue Valley School District that were part of the bond measure approved by voters in 2020.
The slate of projects from that package include a new elementary school, new school gyms, new technology and safety additions.
These are different from projects the district is just embarking on that are part of a separate bond measure approved earlier this year.
Here’s a closer look at where the money went from the 2020 bond issue.
A new elementary school just opened
- Aspen Grove Elementary, the district’s newest elementary school, opened for its first school year last month.
- The new school at 12402 W. 182nd Terrace, was the bond measure’s biggest ticket item, costing $27 million.
- Aspen Grove fits into the Blue Valley Southwest feeder pattern, serving families living in the growing southwest corner of the district.
Three high schools got new gymnasiums
- Three of the district’s oldest high schools received new auxiliary gymnasiums as part of the bond measure.
- The gyms were built at Blue Valley High, BV North and BV Northwest.
- In a project update last fall, school officials said the new additions would provide a bigger capacity for schoolwide events like assemblies — as well as giving athletic teams more space to practice.
- These new gyms combined cost the district roughly $16 million.
Several schools received new safety features
- Four Blue Valley buildings received new thumb-turn safety locks on classroom doors as an added safety measure.
- Harmony Middle, Prairie Star Middle, Hilltop Learning Center and Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies all received the new locks.
- All schools across the district also received a new crisis alert system that allows staff members to call for help and issue building-wide alerts by pressing a button on a wearable security badge.
- The cost for all of these safety additions amounted to about $12 million.
Two middle school libraries received upgrades
- The libraries at Pleasant Ridge and Oxford middle schools both received several new features.
- Both libraries now have designated checkout and casual work areas, as well as instructional spaces and private reading rooms.
- The renovations to these libraries cost roughly $2 million.
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