Dugway christens new K-12 school

By Ms. Bonnie Robinson, ATECDecember 22, 2015

Dugway school gymnasium
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The massive gymnasium at the new 72,000-square-foot Dugway School was the site of a Dec. 3 dedication ceremony. It will house 134 students from kindergarten to high school, and 33 staff. The Department of Defense provided $16.2 million, while the Too... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Jeff Wyatt, Dugway School principal
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Jeff Wyatt is principal for all grades at the new school, from kindergarten through high school. Because the Department of Defense specified its $16.2 million grant was for Dugway High School, the building bears that name. Later, the school district ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Ribbon-cutting ceremony at new Dugway School
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Enoch Thackeray, student body president, and Emily Knight, sixth-grade-student, cut the ribbon over the inlaid D on the gymnasium floor, dedicating the new school. Many dignitaries were part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
U.S. Army photo by Al Vogel... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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Col. Sean Kirschner, commander of U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground at school dedication
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Sean Kirschner, commander of U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, spoke to the 450 students, dignitaries and parents who attended the Dec. 3 school dedication. Residents of the Army post, the Kirschners have three daughters attending school here. U.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
New K-12 School at Dugway Proving Ground
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah -- The new year will bring a significant change for Dugway students.

After nearly two years of planning and construction, a new school building will house Dugway's high and elementary schools in a 72,000-square-foot building that was dedicated Dec. 3 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.

The ceremony was attended by more than 450 people, with students, parents and community members bearing proud, smiling faces as they soaked up their new school's wide hallways, modern classrooms and huge new gymnasium with its gleaming wood floors and multiple basketball hoops.

"Take great pride when you come to this school, this is an amazing accomplishment," said Carol Jensen, vice president of the Toole County Board of Education during the ceremony.

Speakers and well-wishers included Robert Axon, Central Utah Director representing Senator Mike Lee (R); Tami Pyfer, education adviser from the Utah Governor's Office; and Brad Smith, state superintendent for Utah Office of Education. Each talked of goals and hopes for the students in the new school.

Student Body President Enoch Thackeray represented the students. He fondly recalled memories of both old schools and encouraged each student to strive to build upon the legacy they bring with them. Cheers echoed throughout the gym by the excited Mustangs.

The two schools will combine in the new building, creating the first primary and secondary school, commonly called a K-12, in the Tooele County School District. The 72,000-square-foot school is between the vintage school buildings on school property adjacent to the housing area of English Village.

It replaces the two aging schools on post. Originally, the plan was to replace only the high school, which was considered deficient.

"We are thrilled that all the students have use of this remarkable building," said Principal Jeff Wyatt.

The Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment provided $16,187,275 in cash or in-kind value, said Steve West, engineer for the school district.

Tooele School District provided $3,344,240 in cash or in-kind value. Total for cash and in-kind value from both offices is $19,531, 515.

The school district provided about $1.1 million in-kind in the form of flooring, carpeting, a closed-circuit television system and project management.

The DoD will demolish the old high school, a project estimated at nearly $600,000, West said.

The fate of the 63-year-old Elementary School remains uncertain. Originally, elementary students were to remain in their vintage school. Later, it was decided to place all grades in the new school, Tooele School District Superintendent Scott Rogers said.

Wyatt was hired last year to serve as the principal for all the grades. Since that time, he has actively prepared the 134 students and 33 staff for the transfer to the new U-shaped building.

About 75 percent of the students live on post. A number of those students have active-duty military parents serving at Dugway Proving Ground. Students not living on post live in nearby unincorporated areas of Skull Valley and Terra. A few travel to Dugway with their parents who work for the proving ground.

This effort is not without "considerable" preparation, Wyatt said of transferring the students to the new combined elementary and high school. Bringing together the grades in one building has been the "biggest concern" expressed in the Dugway community.

"I completely understand those concerns. There is a huge difference in the educational needs of younger children of primary ages and our students who are preparing themselves for college, work and life," Wyatt said.

Because Wyatt understands those concerns, and because there are not many administrators in Utah that have experience in a K-12 curriculum, Wyatt has been in contact with a number of K-12 schools across the nation to find out what works best.

"There has been real success in these schools. It's clear that everyone needs to be connected: students, teachers, parents and the community," he said. "We have a lot to accomplish as we invest in the future. I feel proud of how it's been going so far."

As the principal, Wyatt said there are a number of critical tasks to prepare teachers, parents and the community to support student achievement.

"There is no question about it, our teacher's scope of responsibility will increase, but our teachers have a solid commitment to our students at every grade," he said. "We feel prepared to take on this challenge and succeed."

The elementary grades will not be mixed with higher grades; K-6 grades will be in one wing of the building, 7-12 in another on the opposite side of the school. All students will share access to large common areas such as the cafeteria, 250-seat auditorium, media center and gymnasium. Moveable partitions in the gymnasium and cafeteria will keep primary grades and high school students separated, yet allow added space for school events.

Preparing for the move has been a tall order in another way. Not only is it a move for the students and teachers, but "the pride and traditions built by generations of grades need to be continued," Wyatt said.

This means the large D on the old gym floor will be cut out and eventually transferred to the new school. Plaques, trophies, and the hall of fame class pictures will also be incorporated in the new building, though not all in the same locations as the old buildings.

"It's important to leave plenty of room for the next generations of proud Mustangs," Wyatt said. "We are excited to be part of this transition; it's a big change to physically combine the grade school with the high school, but we are ready," Wyatt said.

Perhaps the highlight of the ceremony was the first free-throws in the gym. The crowd cheered as team members were announced. The two coaches led the teams, which included school officials and students. Dugway's Commander Sean Kirschner and Command Sgt. Maj Montonya Boozier represented the Army. Kirschner openly challenged his daughter, who represented the girls' basketball team, adding excitement to the contest.

"Our children are our greatest asset. They represent our future. We want to invest in them and prepare them for the challenges that the future brings," Kirchner said just before the ribbon cutting.

The open house tour after the ceremony provided an easy opportunity for all the stakeholders to talk with the Tooele School District, Dugway Proving Ground's leadership and teachers.

U.S. Dugway Proving Ground is part of the Army Test & Evaluation Command.