BOX ELDER — It’s officially summer vacation, but for the Douglas School District, plans are ramping up at Douglas Middle School, where work has begun on a $7.3 million renovation project that will greatly enhance student capacity and the educational experience in the years to come.
An official groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday, May 22, at the middle school during the end-of-year breakfast for faculty and staff. While work is just beginning at the middle school, Superintendent Kevin Case noted the district began working on the facilities master plan project 2025. In addition to the DMS renovation, Case said the master plan includes a career and technical education (CTE) building, a review of high school capacity and secure points of entry for Francis Case and Badger Clark elementary schools.
“We really started looking at growth. The numbers show we should grow by about 100 students a year for the next 14 years,” Case said. He added that 74% of those students will be between birth and 11 years old.
“Part of the master facility plan was looking at the capacities of our buildings, and as we looked at that, we found the middle school was really our pinch point,” he said. “We’re way over the functional capacity here.”
The expansion will increase student capacity by about 150 students, Case said, and will include five new classrooms, three of which will be dedicated to special education, a new office complex and a secure point of entry. The secure point of entry will direct visitors to the middle school’s front office before they can enter the building. Currently, visitors have direct access to the school. Three of the new classrooms will serve as special education classrooms.
Overall, the project will include 10,800 square feet of new additions and 12,400 square feet of renovated interior space.
Construction has begun on the parking lot, which, when complete, will add 89 additional parking spaces. The bus loop will also be moved to the north side of the building, alleviating congestion during morning drop-off, Case said. The parking lot renovation is expected to be completed in August 2026. The middle school expansion is scheduled for completion in August 2027.
Case also noted the $42 million in congressionally directed spending the district received through Sen. Mike Rounds’ office for a new elementary school. Case added the district is in the process of securing additional funding to construct the school, which he anticipates will take up to 18 months before that funding is available.
“We’re basically shovel-ready,” Case said.
