EUSD dedicates 10th campus
Kimberly Epler |
Click here for architect's rendering of El Camino Creek School |
CARLSBAD
- Standing on an empty mesa in the La Costa Valley housing development in south Carlsbad,
officials of the Encinitas Union School District grabbed golden shovels and ceremoniously
turned the first bits of soil for a 10th campus Friday. The district is scheduled to open
El Camino Creek Elementary School in fall 2000 in this sprawling development, tucked away
between El Camino on the west, Olivenhain Road on the south, and Rancho Santa Fe Road to
the east, with the newly opened branch of Calle Barcelona passing through the middle of
it. The first phase of construction will house 650 students in 31 classrooms. "This
is going to be a great addition, not only to the district, but to the city of
Carlsbad."
On hand for the ceremony was Flora Vista Elementary School student Margaret Nelson, who suggested the name of El Camino Creek School in a district-sponsored contest last year. Board President Cathy Regan took a moment to recognize the fourth-grader and have her explain the meaning behind the name. "Right over there, to the right, is the creek," Margaret said softly, pointing into the distance. "And it's called?" Regan asked, helping her along, "El Camino Creek" Margaret said, receiving applause from the crowd of 30 community members, developers, city officials and educators.
The district serves more than 5,000 elementary-school students at campuses in Encinitas and south Carlsbad. The new school will become the 10th campus in the district, with six in Encinitas and, when it opens, four in south Carlsbad.
The 9.8 acres of land where the school will stand was donated to the district by Morrow Development. The property has an estimated valued of $6.3 million. Company President Fred Arbuckle, whose son attends La Costa Heights School in the Encinitas district, was on hand for the groundbreaking. "It's neat to see because we are part of the community," he said. "I'm sure, based on our history, they're going to do a fine job with the school, and the kids here will get a fine education?'
The district anticipates the La Costa Valley housing project - which calls for 1,073 homes in the next several years - will produce the next large influx of students into the district's schools.
"The future starts here," Superintendent DeVore said after briefly talking about the amount of planning that goes into a new campus. "It's going to be an exciting school."