Excitement filled the air on the Dolores school district campus on Monday as school leaders broke ground for the new high school, which will begin construction this summer. The school is estimated to be completed by the summer of 2027 and was made possible with the awarding of the BEST grant last winter.
The new high school will be two stories tall and augment the existing high school building. The former high school will be renovated to become the new middle school.
Some of the most anticipated updates by staff include state-of-the-art science labs and extra classroom space.
“A lot of people before me have been doing a lot of work to get us to this point. I feel lucky to get to see it all come to fruition and see the kids enjoy it,” sid aDolores High School Principal Matt Walker. “It will be a very attractive space, a space that the community can be proud of.”
Before the Dolores school board broke ground, Superintendent Alesa Reed said a few words, sharing that this project has been in the works since 2019 “with the hope of creating a home for Dolores students.”
“I would like to express my gratitude to the community, the school board, taxpayers, the construction team and everyone who has made this moment possible,” Reed said.
While two of the main goals are to increase school pride and improve students’ learning environment, Reed said safety was another priority and was created with students in mind.
“This building will hold dreams, foster creativity and launch thousands of futures,” Reed said.
The building, however, is not just for students and staff. Reed expressed the hope that the building would help strengthen the community and foster lifelong learning outside of the student body as well.
“This project represents hope, investment in education and the belief in our young people’s potential,” Reed said.
Matthew Tangeman contributed to this article.
