Great Falls (Mont.) district is building first new school in 47 years

The Great Falls (Mont.) district has begun construction on on its first new school in 47 years.

The Great Falls Tribune reports that the district has broken ground on a $17.45 million elementary campus that will replace the 89-year-old Roosevelt Elementary . The building is expected to be completed in time for the 2018-2019 school year.

Money for the construction comes from a $98.8 million bond proposal approved by voters in October. 

"The great in Great Falls is back again because the great people of the city of Great Falls voted for a $98.8 million bond issue," says school board chair Jan Cahill. 

The facility will be the first new school built in the district since North Middle, Mountainview Elementary and the Skyline Early Learning Center were completed in 1970.

The new elementary will be erected on the site of the former Lowell Elementary School. Lowell closed as an elementary in 1979 and has been used as the district's buildings and grounds facility since. The building was razed earlier this year.

The architect for the new school is LPW Architects, and the builder is Sletten Construction Companies. 

When the new school is completed, students from Longfellow Elementary will use the old Roosevelt building while their new school is constructed.

In addition to paying for two new elementary campuses, the bond funds will pay for a multipurpose space and STEM classrooms at C.M. Russell High, an upgrade of Memorial Stadium and an addition at Great Falls High.