ROGERS, Ark. (KFSM) — A week ahead of the first day of school a ribbon cutting was held for the districts newest school in the southwest part of the city.
Fairview Elementary School is Rogers School District’s 16th elementary school. The $22 million school is almost 90,000 square feet.
"We’re excited to be joining in the first year at a new school,” Ashton Caton said.
Ashton Caton was just one of many parents who brought her soon to be kindergarten and third-grader to see their new school. Her daughter previously went to Jamie Darr Elementary School that’s just down the road. She says it was very crowded and busy.
"It's nice to kind of have that space and to know that when we come for school events, there's not going to be parking everywhere, in the streets and all of that. So, it's to know that they are going to have a new experience with smaller class sizes,” Caton said.
About 80% of the 556 kids who will be going to Fairview Elementary starting next week previously went to Janie Darr. This new space has room to grow with 716 students.
Principal Laura Quillen says they have some fantastic learning spaces in their classrooms.
"It will truly be a student-centered environment where kids will be able to determine their best learning styles. We have some amazing technology, and so our kids will be able to interact and truly be 21st-century learners,” Quillen said.
Voters approved a millage increase back in 2017 allowing for two new elementary schools to be built. Fairview is the first of the two.
Rogers Mayor Greg Hines says with more than 30 people moving into Northwest Arkansas a day, Rogers continues to grow.
"While growth creates it sets of challenges to keep up with it from an infrastructure standpoint to schools to public safety and on and on. It's a problem or a challenge, rather, that any community in America would love to have,” Hines said.
Fairview’s future students got to help pick out the school’s colors, which are gray and turquoise, and later in the year, they will get to help pick out the mascot.