The Appleton Area (Wisconsin) district has broken ground on Sandy Slope Elementary, the district's first new elementary campus in nearly four decades.
The district says the school, which will be Appleton's 18th elementary, is being constructed on a 42-acre parcel near Appleton North High School that the district acquired 24 years ago. It will relieve crowding brought on by growth in the northeastern part of the district. IN 2019, Huntley Elementary School, serving the Sandy Slope area, had an enrollment of 744 students, 160 over its capacity.
The Daily Reporter says the project calls for a 96,000-square foot, two-story building with classrooms organized in grade level “pods.” Each pod will have dedicated entrances from playgrounds, locker space and flex rooms for individual or small group learning. It will have space for 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The school will have a gymnasium with a full-size basketball court, a commons and cafeteria in the center of the building, a library and media center, a general music room, band and strings music room, art and STEM spaces, a sensory gym and special education classrooms.
Funding for construction comes from a $129.8 million bond issue approved by voters in November 2022.
The architect is Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction.
