Re-model of Oakdale Elementary School on track to open for 2018 spring semester

When you drive down West Center Rd., you may notice that the small elementary school that has been around since 1871 is gone. The demolition and rebuilding of Oakdale Elementary School is one of many projects included in the $80 million bond that was passed last year.

Chairman of the Bond Oversight Committee, John Hughes, says that most buildings have had updates of some sort but a number need major repairs.

“All of the elementary schools get touched in some manner with this first bond initiative,” Hughes said.  “Which includes high priority items defined as mostly security. Some like Swanson school, are slated for a major renovation.”

Glen Jagels, Principal of Oakdale Elementary School, is excited for many things in the upcoming years with the construction of a new school.

“I think there are so many features of the building that are going to be exciting,” Jagels said. “The classrooms are going to be brand new and they’re going to be built in small group rooms they can share. We’re going to have flexible learning space that will have additional spaces for kids to learn.” 

Jagels says that the renovation is on schedule to open the second semester of the 2017-2018 school year.

“During the winter months, you always tend to have problems with snow and cold so there’s a few weeks give and take here and there. But, it is still scheduled to be on [track to be] opening December of 2017,” Jagels said.

There are several building under construction currently. As we move into the new year, new projects are starting and the planning and design committee for one school has officially convened.

“We had six or seven, what we call the high priority items, where we’re just making sure that security was up and stuff. Those have really concluded. So right now you have the middle school, the swing school that continues to have little things done to it, just to make it a better elementary school. You’ve got Oakdale under construction, you’ve got Sunset under construction, and you now have Swanson school under design,” Hughes said.

The Design and Advisory Committees for all projects are made of local community members. Each school committee works with DLR Group, an architecture and design firm, to give community input and ideas.

“The community input has been exceptional,” Hughes said. “There are a lot of people in this community that really value their schools. And, they give a lot of time to this whole process. One [reason] is spending $70 million is a lot of money, and everyone should care about it. But, the other is there’s just a lot of passion about Westside elementary schools and the way they are community oriented and the way they are imbedded in the neighborhoods. That passion comes through with people willing to spend time on helping design and the real care the people have for their neighborhood school is such a blessing for the whole Westside district.”