Ankeny Community School District celebrated the opening of Abbie Grove Elementary, the fifth elementary school in the Ankeny system, which will be open for the 2024-2025 school year.
The ceremony featured a ribbon cutting by first-grader Henry Huth, and according to a news release, had an attendance of about 200, including students, teachers, parents and staff.
The new building is located at 5001 N.W. 18th St. and has capacity for 800 students from grades kindergarten through fifth. It has 100,000 square feet and was built in 18 months in response to the rapidly growing student population in the district.
The construction was funded entirely by the Iowa SAVE act, meaning Ankeny residents never voted on a general obligation bond that would otherwise be used to finance the project. Instead, the funding came from local option sales tax revenue.
“This building is designed to feel smaller and more manageable for young learners. Every classroom, hallway, and common area has been designed with the needs of our students in mind including integrated special education areas, and individual spaces for art, vocal, and instrumental rooms,” Abbie Grove Principal Andrew Burg said in the news release.
More information about Abbie Grove, including important dates, can be found at abbiegrove.ankenyschools.org.
The Ankeny Community School District currently has a student body of about 12,600, making it the seventh largest district in the state.
Ryan Magalhães is a reporter for the Register. Reach them at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ankeny school district opens Abbie Grove, its fifth elementary school
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