CEDAR CITY, Utah — Iron County students returned to school Wednesday, with East Elementary students and staff hoping for a brighter future as construction continues on their new building next door.
The current East Elementary building, constructed in 1952, has seen little renovation in its 72-year history, leaving students and staff to deal with outdated infrastructure.
"We have old things in the building. We have boilers that are 60, 70 years old. We're still using swamp coolers," said East Elementary Principal Mike Moyle.
Parents have noticed the challenges posed by the aging facility as well.
"There's a lot of crowding for us, and the classrooms are old," said Sheena Hurt, a parent of an East student. "And I love the teachers. They do so much for the kids. They overcome those difficulties of smaller classrooms, it being either like really hot or really cold."
Relief is on the horizon as construction workers were already on site Wednesday, working on what used to be the school's playing field. The new East Elementary, which began construction in 2023, is expected to be completed by the next school year.
The project is funded by a $69.5 million bond measure approved by voters in 2021, with approximately 41% of those funds dedicated to rebuilding East Elementary. This comes after Iron County voters had rejected multiple previous bond proposals for school infrastructure improvements.
According to WalletHub, Iron County ranks 38th out of 41 school districts in Utah for spending per pupil, highlighting ongoing funding challenges.
"There's been a lot of growth in Iron County, and I think some of that growth is with individuals, couples who don't have children in the schools. And so it's a little difficult for them to come in and see tax increases proposed to pay for a bond," said Iron County School District spokesperson Shauna Lund.
Lund emphasized the need for community support: "We just need to as a community rally around students."
Hurt echoed this sentiment: "I would say that kids are our future, and if we do not invest in them, what kind of future do we have?"
As temperatures reached the 90s on Wednesday, Moyle, who is in his 12th year as principal, looks forward to the improvements the new building will bring.
"I think we're excited to get modern heating and cooling," Moyle said.
