Board outlines plans for new campus opening and final farewell tours for closing schools

The board spent part of its June 11 meeting planning community events tied to the district’s move to a new 6–12 campus and the decommissioning of legacy buildings.

District staff proposed combining a Clifford Stadium farewell (planned for Sept. 12, the homecoming game) with a larger evening event — subject to securing temporary permits and stadium readiness — and a set of public open-house dates (proposed Oct. 18 for some buildings and additional evenings for the high school). The administrator leading planning said the district will take possession of the new stadium in August but may not take ownership of the full building until November; staff said they would seek provisional permits if possible to allow fall events on the new field.

Board members discussed two approaches to final tours: (1) holding open houses while staff and students are still in buildings, and (2) scheduling final farewells after buildings are vacated so community members can take mementos and see the spaces without students present. Several members warned that tours while classrooms are occupied can risk privacy concerns and that personal items may be left behind; one board member recalled community members taking items after previous closures. The superintendent said staff will coordinate with the alumni foundation and volunteers, and staff committed to returning a calendar of proposed dates for board approval by the end of the following week.

The board also discussed grand-opening timing for the new campus; staff said key move-in work would occur during the winter break and that a formal ribbon-cutting could occur after possession when facilities and furnishings are in place. The board agreed staff should propose specific dates (including a potential November “hello” and a January “goodbye” model) and return with a recommended schedule for final tours and the public grand-opening.