Some Richland School District #400 (RSD) kindergarten through 5th grade students will start the school year off in a brand new school Aug. 30.

Marcus Whitman Elementary is a two-story, 65,000-square-foot school that can serve 630 students. The two previous Marcus Whitman Schools were located at the same site—the original was built sometime between 1944-1948 and was demolished in 1971, the second was built in 1970 and demolished in 2015 to make room for the new building. The new building was made possible because of a RSD bond that passed in 2013.

In addition to a multi-purpose room and gymnasium, the new Marcus Whitman Elementary has 24 general education classrooms. It also has nine special and support classrooms, including special programs, preschool, art, computer lab and music.

Design West Architects’ Kennewick office designed the new facility and Fowler General Construction is general contractor for the $21 million project. RSD’s Capital Projects Department, along with Construction Services Group—a program of Educational Services District 112—is overseeing the project.

For more information, contact Caren Johnson, RSD capital project specialist, at 509-967-6139.