The future of Ammon Elementary School remains uncertain

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Bonneville Joint School District 93 is considering plans for the future of Ammon Elementary School.

In a D93 public board meeting, board members proposed the idea of relocating the Praxium Mastery Academy to the Ammon Elementary School building, due to the overwhelming popularity and success of the program.

The academy is currently housed in an auxiliary building near Rocky Mountain Middle School.

Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme says many students at the Academy have expressed the desire to continue on in the program into high school, but have been unable to because of space limitations. If the students were allowed to continue the program from 7th to 12th grade, the district estimates a maximum enrollment of 450-500 students.

"Its current location... does not allow any expansions beyond 7th and 8th grades," said Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme. "The classrooms that we currently have there are full. We have perhaps one modular trailer that we could add an additional classroom in that trailer. But that does not allow a full expansion into high school."

The proposal follows voter approval of a $34.5 million bond to construct a new elementary school south of Telford Road in Idaho Falls in 2023.

Superintendent Woolstenhulme says the district built multiple elementary schools to meet the rapid growth in population over the past 30 years. However, the district faced a new challenge as population growth fell short of their projections.

"At the time that we originally proposed the elementary school, we were anticipating that we'd continue to see that type of growth in the district," said Woolstenhulme. "But through a couple of really interesting shifts in demographics that just didn't happen."

In response, several staff members at Ammon Elementary have requested that their entire team simply relocate to the new school building.

"We as a staff are not here to resist progress," said Ammon Elementary 4th-grade teacher Tressa Packer. "We are here to advocate for a thoughtful transition. Rather than disband a cohesive team that has built a strong culture of learning and support, we are asking to move together as a nucleus to the new school."

The school board will vote and decide in May or June.

D93 parents and staff are welcome to share their comments and concerns with the board through email. For more information, click HERE.