Construction on New Johnston High School to Start in Spring 2014

Construction on a new Johnston High School will start next spring, said Johnston Schools Superintendent Clay Guthmiller, and completion of the building in 2016 will set off dominos as other buildings are renovated and house different grades.

On Tuesday, 66 percent of voters approved the $41 million school bond measure, and Johnston Community School District leaders are excited to move forward. 

Guthmiller said of the vote, the second time in less than a year the district has sought passage of a bond measure: “I was grateful that’s for sure, from the support that we have in the district. We are looking forward to making all of this become a reality for the kids.”

By late March or April of 2014, construction will begin on the new high school and it will be completed in the fall of 2016, he said. The 10-12 high school will be built just west of 100th Street and north of 62nd Avenue in Johnston.

Once the new high school is built and in the summer of 2016 will be renovation work will begin in the summer of 2016 on the current high school. The district's eighth- and ninth-graders will move to that building in the fall of 2016.

After those grades vacate the 8/9 building, renovations will be made. Then, Wallace Elementary would be moved to the revamped building.

Once remodeling is done at the Wallace building, the district's central office will move there.

“I think this reaffirms the importance our community places on quality schools and good public education for our students,” Guthmiller said. “I think that our folks have high expectations for our schools and passing this bond issue they expect it to be handled in a professional manner and that we in essence will do the things we said we are going to do in the best of our ability.”