Simplified: Construction is underway on Sioux Falls newest elementary school, Marcella LeBeau Elementary. School board members this week got an update on the progress and next steps.
Why it matters
- The new elementary school – located next to George McGovern Middle School on the northwest side of town – marks the final project funded by a historic $180 million bond that voters approved in 2018.
- The school will help accommodate more kids in a fast-growing part of town, and in its first year, it's expected to have about 250 students moving from Hawthorne, Hayward and Renberg Elementary Schools.
- The next steps include hiring a principal and staff, taking care of details like playground equipment, security systems and furniture, and ensuring parents know where their kid will be going to school next year (and how to stay at their current school, if that's what they want).
"Open enrollment dates are important," Superintendent Jane Stavem said. "We want to make sure people are really paying attention."
How's construction going?
You can see the construction progress in this drone video from the school district:
In the video, you can also see progress on a new Boys & Girls Club location adjacent to George McGovern Middle School – lots of projects going on in that area right now.
Middle schoolers will soon have a new place to go after class
Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire announced this week plans to build a new facility at George McGovern Middle School.
Megan Raposa
Remind me who it's named after...
Marcella LeBeau was a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe member, World War II veteran and long-time nurse known for her spirit of service. Here's more on her:
Learn more about Marcella LeBeau, Sioux Falls newest elementary school namesake
She lived for more than a century and left behind a legacy of service, compassion and culture.
Megan Raposa
What happens next?
Marcella LeBeau Elementary is expected to open next fall.
