Alpine School District’s newest school will open this summer to families in Eagle Mountain.
The yet-to-be-named school, located west of Cedar Valley High School in the new Pinnacles at Eagle Mountain development, will meet the needs of a rapidly growing community.
A Focus on Community and Legacy
Principal John Emett, who will lead the new school, said the project represents an opportunity to bring 13 neighborhoods together into a single school community.
“It’s exciting to think through how this new space can support learning,” Emett said. “We’ve got lots of little details to figure out, and those are important steps towards creating a school and a community that people want to be a part of.”
Emett noted that while the school will have modern safety and flow features, its true purpose is to provide a nurturing place for the rising generation to learn and grow.
“This will be a place of exploration, growth, and belonging as students make memories and grow in knowledge and experience,” said Julie King, board president for Alpine School District.
Students have already begun contributing ideas for the school's official name, which must be approved by the Board of Education.
Other community members are joining the effort, too.
“Luckily I have principals who have done this before that are giving me guidance and direction and there's a lot of support,” said Emett. “And I’m getting a lot of community support from families in Cedar Fort, Eagle Mountain, and Fairfield. The PTA council is ready, and they're helping to guide it all.”
An Anchor for Growth
The school will be an anchor for an expanding population in Eagle Mountain, Fairfield, and Cedar Fort, and will be a new home for families who currently attend Cedar Valley Elementary in Cedar Fort.
“Cedar Valley Elementary has been the heart of this community for generations,” said King. “We want every child to receive an excellent education and we know that new memories will be made in this new school.”
Cedar Valley has an enrollment of around 130 students. The Alpine School District Board of Education and the board of the newly created Lake Mountain School District each voted to close the school after this year, citing limited capacity at the Cedar Fort school and better educational opportunities through more teacher collaboration at the new school.
The new school is projected to have an enrollment of more than 800 students in its first year.
King emphasized that the district is committed to maintaining stability for families during the transition. “We aren’t just moving students and staff—we are carrying a legacy,” she said. “Our schools are made up of people, not just bricks and mortar.”
Operational Efficiency
The construction process has been streamlined by using experienced contractors who are familiar with the district's standard elementary school layout.
“We’ve built this plan about a dozen times, so we’re good at it and the district gets a good product,” said Kevin Squire, project superintendent for Westland Construction.
The facility will be outfitted with the best systems to make it more comfortable and cost-efficient.
The layout of the building is also an important variable in the purpose of the school, according to Emett, who visits the construction site regularly.
“This gives me a great opportunity to understand how the space can support learning and how students flow,” he said. “How will we interact with parents as they come into the building? How will families get access to the building in a safe manner? And you do have to get all of the little details right?”
As he ponders those questions, final touches will be put on before the first day of school in August.
“It feels good to be on schedule and make our customer happy,” added Squire. “It feels good to turn one in and get the kids in here and they can start learning.”