The Waukee (Iowa) district has won approval of a $117 million bond proposal that will enable it to build a second high school.
The Des Moines Register reports that Waukee is just the second Iowa district in the last 40 years to go from one high school to two. Ankeny’s second campus, Centennial High School, opened in August 2013.
More than 90 percent of voters who cast ballots supported the proposal, the district says. The tally was 2,988 to 322, according to unofficial election results from the Dallas County Auditor's Office.
“We are very pleased with the results of the election,” says Cindi McDonald, superintendent. “This is a win for the students and families in our district. The proposed plan will help us to manage our increasing enrollments, and continue to provide opportunities for students both in and out of the classroom
Waukee, a suburb west of Des Moines, is Iowa's fastest-growing school district. Waukee High School is expected to exceed its operational capacity next year. The district projects that it will have 2,448 high school students by 2021, when the second high school is scheduled to open.
The 395,000-square-foot building will be designed to accommodate 1,800 students, the district says. The facility will be equipped with innovative features such as a two-story, glass-walled media center; a rooftop terrace with outdoor seating; and a greenhouse.
The campus will be part of a 160-acre joint development with the city of Waukee that includes a community youth sports complex. The district will build a football stadium and track, two baseball fields, two softball fields, 12 tennis courts and four practice fields. The city's $7 million contribution to the complex will pay for 12 softball and baseball fields, a fishing pier and playground.
The district also will carry out a $1.1 million upgrade of the existing Waukee High School; the project will add parking and new student collaborative spaces, and improve technology systems.
