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Dedication, Cornerstone Ceremonies scheduled for new Westridge Middle School

Two celebrations are planned this month to mark the opening of the new Westridge Middle School at 4111 W. 13th St.

The Dedication Ceremony will start at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, in the school's gym. An open house will follow until 4 p.m. Jan. 16.

The Cornerstone Ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, in the school's gym, followed by an open house until 5 p.m. The public is welcome to attend both events.

"These community events will provide an opportunity for the Grand Island Public Schools to say 'thank you' to our residents for their support of our children. We are extremely excited about the new Westridge and believe that the facility will enhance the overall educational and extracurricular experiences for our children," Grand Island Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel said.

Lynn Cronk, president of the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education, said Grand Island residents' support is appreciated.

"Our Board of Education would like to encourage community members to attend one or both of these events. We are very pleased to showcase this facility that will provide equity in academic and co-curricular opportunities for the middle school students in the western part of our city," Cronk said.

Westridge Middle School is organized around a classroom pod system for students in sixth through eighth grades. The new school features:

* An auditorium with tiered seating for 450 people and high-quality sound and lighting systems.
* A gym with an upper-level wrestling deck and separate weight room.
* 43 spacious classrooms, each equipped with a ceiling-mounted digital projector.
* A cafeteria that will seat 200 people.
* A media center with natural lighting and two adjacent computer labs.
* Vocal music, band, and orchestra classrooms with stand-alone sound systems with recording capability.
* A football field and track.
* An exterior drive that surrounds the building, providing a safe route for drop-off and pick-up of students.

Grand Island voters approved a bond issue on Sept. 13, 2005, that is funding Westridge's construction. In April 2006, the Grand Island Public Schools awarded Sampson Construction of Lincoln a contract to construct the middle school for $15,137,000. Construction of the new school began in April 2006.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Steve Joel, superintendent, Grand Island Public Schools, (308) 385-5900, sjoel@gips.org

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