For years, families in Guadalupe have asked when a new school would be built to serve the city’s growing student population.
“For the growth of the city and the growth of the community, I think this is just going to be huge,” said Leonides Montoya, a Guadalupe dad.
On Wednesday, Montoya was one of the dozens who came out for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new junior high school, a gymnasium, and an early learning center, which will be located next to the new homes off Arroyo Seco Road.
“Having brand new schools brings a great sense of pride to the community, and that is something my team and I are very excited to bring to this community,” said Dr. Emilio Handall, Guadalupe Union School District Superintendent.
He says after nearly 20 years of waiting, in 2023, state funding for the projects was finally secured.
“I am looking forward to opening these brand new facilities,” Dr. Handall told KSBY. “I know that they are going to create tremendous opportunities for our students, and I know our parents and our community overall are going to be very excited.”
Eric Marlow, the project manager for the gymnasium construction, says depending on the weather, crews could get started laying foundation in the coming weeks.
“From there, we will start going vertical with steel and the erection and the roughing, and we are hoping to finish the building in nine months or so,” Marlow said.
Dr. Handall says the city’s two schools, Mary Buren Elementary and Kermit McKenzie Intermediate, currently serve roughly 1,300 students, leading to overcrowding and school staff being stretched thin.
He adds that completion of the projects could translate to a more efficient district.
“The new junior high school will serve anywhere between 300 and 400 and our early learning center will serve anywhere between 100 and 180 students,” Dr. Handall added.
Montoya, whose 5-year-old son will soon be enrolling in the district, says he was thrilled to see this day finally come.
“We have heard rumors about it for the past four years, so to see this? Absolutely, very excited,” he said.
District officials say once the new schools are built, Mary Buren Elementary will transition to serving grades K-3, while McKenzie Intermediate will be designated for students in fourth through sixth grade.
Construction on both the junior high school and the early learning center is expected to be finished in time for the Fall 2025 semester.
