This new school is the only one of its kind in Kennewick

Ashtyn Ducat walked into her new school to high-fives from teachers and other staff.

They greeted her — and the rest of Fuerza Elementary’s students — in both English and Spanish, saying, “Welcome!” and “Hola!”

It was fitting, considering Fuerza — which had its ribbon cutting Thursday — is Kennewick School District’s first dual language elementary. Dual language students used to attend either Hawthorne or Edison elementaries before the program got its own building.

The new building is one of two new elementary schools opening in Kennewick this year.

The other, Amon Creek Elementary, has its ribbon cutting Friday.

Richland School District also is celebrating the debut of the newly rebuilt Jefferson Elementary. A ribbon cutting is set for Monday.

Pasco isn’t opening any new schools this fall, but has several coming down the pike in the next several years.

Classes are scheduled to start in the Tri-Cities next week.

At Fuerza on Thursday, Ashtyn took in her new school, with its two stories, its 30 classrooms.

“I like it,” the 7-year-old said.

Her parents like it, too.

It’s a great facility, said her mom, Alyssa.

Plus, said her dad, Matt, the dual language learning is invaluable.

“I have a diverse ethnic background, and I don’t speak any of the other two languages (Spanish and German) that I should have learned, so I felt like it was important” to enroll Ashtyn, who’s entering second grade, he said.

In the program, students spend half the time learning in English and half in Spanish.

The program helps students become bilingual and bi-literate, not to mention versed in other cultures.

Fuerza’s name comes from the Spanish word for “strength.” The mascot, Lobos, means “wolves.”

MMEC Architecture & Interiors handled design and Fowler General Construction built the 66,338-square-foot building.

The $21.7 million project was paid for with money from a state grant to reduce K-3 class sizes.

Fuerza Elementary is on West 10th Place, where Desert Hills Middle School sat for years before it was rebuilt at a new site.

Hundreds of people attended the event, from families like the Ducats, to school district leaders and local dignitaries.

The district’s other new elementary school, Amon Creek, will have a similar ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday.

The school — at 18 Center Parkway — is in a part of Richland that falls within Kennewick School District’s boundaries.

The two-story, 76,664-square-foot school has 38 classrooms and is the biggest elementary in the district.

MMEC Architecture & Interiors designed the facility and Chervenell Construction Co. was the builder.

The $23 million cost was covered by money from the district’s 2015 voter-approved bond and some class size reduction grant dollars.

The new Jefferson Elementary School in Richland also was paid for with a voter-approved bond.

The $20.5 million school is 65,000 square feet and is on the same site as the old Jefferson, which opened in the ‘50s.

A small fire in the new building broke out this summer after a stove in the life skills room accidentally was left on. But the new school’s sprinkler system kicked in and the fire was contained to the stove top, with some nearby cabinets scorched.

That ribbon cutting is at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

This story was originally published August 23, 2018 at 5:26 PM.