New Elgin elementary school breaks ground
Students help break ground on Harvest Ridge Elementary School in north Elgin April 5. Photo by Fernando Castro
This rendering shows what Harvest Ridge Elementary School is expected to look like from above. Courtesy graphic
The design of Harvest Ridge Elementary School's front is seen here. Courtesy graphic
Examples of Harvest Ridge Elementary School's construction materials are displayed here. Courtesy graphic
One of Elgin's newest neighborhoods will be home to Elgin's newest elementary school.
Ground broke for Wednesday, April 5, for Harvest Ridge Elementary School in north Elgin. The school will be located in the heart of the similarly named Harvest Ridge development.
“Harvest Ridge Elementary will provide a safe and nurturing environment for students to learn and grow, fostering a sense of community and collaboration,” said Superintendent Jana Reuter. “Future staff and students will benefit from the school's overall design, which reflects Elgin ISD's commitment to providing high-quality education for its students. We are excited to celebrate this investment in our community, and our children, and to see this new facility come to life.”
Funds for the school were made possible after the 2021 bond election. Elgin Independent School district asked voters to approve a proposition to issue $171.7 million in bonds that included Harvest Ridge Elementary as of two new elementary schools. The bond also went toward high school additions and renovations, other instructional and non-instructional facilities such as CTE programs and a fine arts facility, and the purchase of the necessary sites for school facilities. Harvest Ridge took approximately $38.45 million from the bond.
Twelve acres of land for Harvest Ridge school was donated by Brohn Homes, the Austin-based homebuilder and community development company that built the surrounding Harvest Ridge neighborhood. According to district officials, this is the first time in school history developers have donated land on which they would construct the school.
“We look forward to how this new elementary school and the Harvest Ridge development will positively impact the city of Elgin, Elgin Independent School District and the community as a whole,” said Adam Boenig, Brohn Homes co-founder. “In addition, we look forward to seeing students, staff and community members thrive in their new learning environment.”
Harvest Ridge Elementary will be located on Harvest Ridge Boulevard, just northeast of Elgin High School. Approximately 800-900 students will the school. Design concepts focused on “principles of creating a caring space, a sense of community, collaboration at the center, and a connection to the outdoors.”
“Harvest Ridge Elementary School is going to be such a point of pride for all of us,” said Reuter. “This is going to be a site where true future ready learning for our students is just going to take flight. It's going to be amazing. We have incredible plans.”
Neidig Elementary School students slated to be enrolled in the new school participated in the groundbreaking. Reuter said the students and teachers are excited for the new facility.
“A year from today, we're going to look out there … and we're going to see the school, and it's going to be in finishing phases,” said Reuter, “and then we're going to open it on our first day of school of August 2024.”