By Tim Vandenack - | Mar 16, 2023
SUNSET — Work is underway on the first of some $475 million worth of Davis School District projects outlined in the bond issue approved by voters last November.
On Monday, Sunset Junior High School students, district officials and others gathered for a ceremony to launch construction of the $95.7 million facility that will replace the existing junior high. It’ll be built on open space on school grounds with the current facility to be demolished when the new one is complete.
“We could not be more excited for this new school,” Lottie Squires, a student body officer at the school, said at the ceremony. “We’ve been fighting for it for years, so now that we’re finally here is a big deal.”
On Feb. 16, district and West Point leaders broke ground on a new $103.4 million junior high school to be built at 4500 West and 700 South in West Point to accommodate the growing number of students in that part of Davis County. That was the first bond project to get underway.
Davis County voters last November approved the $475 million bond proposal by a 57.1%-42.9% margin, paving the way for the West Point and Sunset projects. Many more are slated, including the rebuild of Bountiful Elementary and construction of a new elementary school in Syracuse, next up, according to Chris Williams, the district spokesperson.
The new West Point junior high school, which will be the 18th in the district, and the replacement Sunset Junior High School structure should be done in time for the start of the 2024-2025 school year. The original Sunset Junior High School building was built in 1964.
Sunset Junior High has around 1,000 students and draws from Sunset, South Weber and Clinton. Principal Tami Oliver said in a video ahead of last year’s vote that the facility lacks space and air conditioning.
“Teachers are trying to teach when students are hot, and when they’re hot, they can’t think,” she said.
Among other projects, seven other Davis School District schools are to get significant upgrades thanks to the bond funds.