Sand Springs Public Schools break ground on new 9th Grade Center and STEM Academy
/Sand Springs Public School District officials gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the new Ninth Grade Center and STEM Academy Tuesday afternoon.
The new buildings were part of a $33 million bond package approved by voters in March. The construction will allow for the reunification of freshmen with the rest of the Sand Springs high school students at the Charles Page campus. Currently freshmen are in the century-old Sand Springs High School building downtown, which has long outlived its usefulness.
The $14.28 million building will be conjoined with Charles Page through a central lobby, but will keep the younger students separated from the upperclassmen. In recent years the district has had to shuttle more than 75% of freshmen to the high school for daily activities like band, athletics, and other classes.
The new construction will also provide class space for expanded curriculum in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields, as well as a new two-story lobby.
Construction is expected to finish in August of 2020, meaning the district will have one more year at the current Central Ninth Grade Center. CNGC will then be turned into administrative offices for the district.
