Construction begins on classroom additions

Wednesday, April 8, 1998 | 10:19 a.m.

Work crews have begun construction on 391 classroom additions to schools in Clark County as part of the 1996 $643-million school bond issue, according to school district officials.

About one-fourth of the school bond money -- $155 million -- is being used to build classrooms at existing schools. The building initiative translates to 13,563 new classroom seats.

About two-thirds of the additions are traditional classrooms. Other projects include library additions, physical education, art and music facilities, multi-purpose rooms, stages, rest rooms and administrative space.

About three-quarters of the additions are at elementary schools. The first schools slated to get additions are: Diskin, Dondero, Edwards, Ferron, Harmon, Harris, Smith, Tate, Tomiyasu, Ward and Wengert elementary schools. Groundbreaking is set for later this month for most of the first-round schools, and construction is expected to take about five months to complete.

All the classroom additions are scheduled for completion in 2001.

School officials say this is the largest classroom addition program of the past three school bonds -- 1996, 1994 and 1988. The 1994 bond did not include general classroom additions, although bond money paid for expansions at Becker and Sawyer middle schools, Silverado High School and a new wing at Park Elementary School.

The school district, the nation's ninth largest and fastest growing, has been scrambling for years to keep up with growth. The past two school bonds, essentially voter-approved tax increases, have raised $1.25 billion and built 41 new schools and pay for school improvements.