The Sulphur Springs Union School District announced Thursday morning that it has agreed to purchase a parcel of land in the Skyline Ranch community from Tri Pointe Homes to build a new elementary school site.
It will be the 10th school for the district and will help alleviate overcrowding and provide additional educational opportunities for local students, according to a news release from the district.
“The governing board is excited that we have reached an agreement with Tri Pointe Homes to acquire the land needed to advance our plans for a new school within the Skyline Ranch community,” board President Ken Chase said in the release. “This significant achievement is the result of hard work and dedication not only from the board, but also from Superintendent Dr. (Catherine) Kawaguchi, and many others who have supported us through the process. Together, we are excited to take this important step forward in fulfilling our commitment to providing the best possible educational environment for our students and families.”
The district and Tri Pointe have been in negotiations for nearly two years. A school site in the area was first discussed at a May 2020 governing board meeting.
In March 2023, Kawaguchi recommended the board of trustees to select a finalist for architectural and engineering services for the elementary school’s design. The board approved the selection of Flewelling and Moody as the architect.
Kawaguchi stated in the release that the school site should be able to house approximately 650 students once built.
“The new elementary school will represent the district’s commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities for all our students,” Kawaguchi said in the release. “The new school will be designed with the latest advancements in educational technology, creating a vibrant and engaging learning environment for all students.”
Kawaguchi added that the district will “make it a priority” to keep the Skyline Ranch community updated on the next steps. She was not immediately available Thursday morning for additional comment.
Tom Grable, division president for Tri Pointe Homes Orange County-Los Angeles, which developed the Skyline Ranch community, said in the release that Tri Pointe is “very happy to be a part of this stage in the development of a new elementary school in Skyline.”
“We are proud of our history with the Skyline community, including the homes that we have built and are continuing to build, as well as the opening of the Skyline Ranch Park earlier this year,” Grable said in the release. “We are very happy to be a part of this stage in the development of a new elementary school in Skyline. We wish the Sulphur Springs Union School District well in building the new school once the land has been transferred and look forward to seeing the new school when it has been completed.”
Community members have been waiting for an update on a proposed Skyline Ranch school site since it was first discussed more than four years ago.
Thomas Smith, who said he moved to the Skyline Ranch area earlier this year, told The Signal that one of the motives for moving his family to the community was how Tri Pointe advertised that an elementary school site was part of the plan.
According to the agreement between Tri Pointe and the district, the process for the elementary school site preparation and construction was to begin after the blueprints for the land were drawn out, including the elementary school site and certificates of occupancy for at least 301 residential units. After these conditions are met, the developer was to transfer the site in a “construction-ready condition” within 24 months or sooner if agreed by the parties.
