• Site map for the new King Elementary
  • Rendering of the new King Elementary
  • Rendering of the new King Elementary

Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary will be entirely rebuilt in the next few years thanks to taxpayer dollars. The worn, overcrowded facility that opened in 1971 will be replaced by a two-story L-shaped building. The design better meets standards for a 21st-century school as expressed by staff, parents, students and the community.

The new Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary will be located on the same site, with the main entrance facing the intersection of Idaho Street and Boise Avenue. Separate drop-off and pickup areas for buses and parents will improve traffic patterns around the school, and a second lot along the west side of the site will ease parking.

The new structure will feature a variety of adaptable spaces, large gathering places for the school’s many events and, fittingly, a more residential rather than institutional feel. Highlights of the design include:

Did you know?

School buildings are expected to last 30 years. VPS strives to build new schools to last for 50 years.

  • Dedicated Family-Community Resource Center near the front entrance to welcome families
  • Approximately 26 traditional classrooms in pairs with moveable walls and abundant natural light
  • Access from classrooms to collaborative learning spaces and smaller project rooms; these options will accommodate both individual lessons and instruction for groups of all sizes
  • Early learning space, with a designated outdoor play area for pre-kindergarten students
  • Media center with connected project room
  • Dedicated spaces for art, music, dance/creative movement and fitness
  • Commons area accessible from a secure secondary entrance off of Boise Avenue
  • Separation between classrooms and areas that external groups may rent, such as the commons and fitness space
  • New playground with a surface that is accessible for people who use wheelchairs
  • Walking path
  • Designated nature play area
  • Outdoor learning spaces for students to engage with nature
  • Landscaping that allows students to have sensory interactions with the natural environment

Demolition of the existing building is expected to begin in summer 2019. Students will attend classes at the existing Ogden Elementary School during the 2019–2020 school year while the new Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary is being built. Pending any unforeseen delays, the new school is projected to open in fall 2020.

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Take a tour inside the school

Note: While the design plans are final, not every single element depicted in this video is confirmed.