Northshore celebrates groundbreaking for new elementary school

Oct 23 2018

Area leaders standing with shovels at the groundbreaking — From left to right: Director Hayes, Director Cogan, Director Swain, Councilman Ryan, Director McGourty, Director Cast, Superintendent Reid

The Northshore School District held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for the new elementary school that will be built on Maltby Road in unincorporated Snohomish County, Woodinville.

Students from nearby Fernwood Elementary, District administrators, Snohomish County councilman Terry Ryan, as well as representatives from the firms contracted to build the school joined school board members and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid to celebrate the District’s newest school.

The school will serve 500 elementary students, and it is expected to open in fall 2020. The site is part of the District’s plan to accommodate the growth the District has experienced over the past few years. This year, the District welcomed 500 new students.

Students use gold shovels to dig up dirt at the Maltby Road site

Superintendent Reid said the school marks a milestone in the District’s future and thanked voters for this “tremendous gift.”

“We’re looking forward to opening this school, so we can make amazing things happen for the next generation,” Reid said.

Addressing the Fernwood students who attended the ceremony, Northshore School Board President Sandy Hayes said the children represented the future of the District.

“You are the reason we’re here,” Hayes said. “You will get to be leaders in our District.”

The elementary school was designed to be environmentally friendly. It will be two- and three-stories in height in order to reduce the footprint. Timber from some of the trees that were harvested from the site will be used throughout the school.

Director Cast looks over a printed site plan showing yet to be created roads surrounding the school

The school was funded by the capital bond that was approved by the Northshore community during the February 2018 bond election. It has a budget of $80 million.

The District purchased the 33-acre property in 2010 for $6 million. Of those 33 acres, 20 will be used for school buildings, and the rest will be left untouched in perpetuity.

Phase II of the site near Maltby will be a middle school that will be funded through a future capital bond. The middle school is projected to serve 700 students.

For more information about the Maltby Road site and other projects, visit our Construction & Special Projects page.