New school rises from old campus
Canyon Springs to open in August
by Ambria Hammel

NORTH PHOENIX – It doesn’t have a flowing stream of water nor steep cliff walls, but Canyon Springs, the Deer Valley Unified School District’s newest K‑8 school, is quickly emerging northwest of I‑17 and Anthem Way where Peoria’s West Wing School once held classes.

The second of six classroom buildings was delivered the first week of June with an additional arrival anticipated each week through the first part of July. The 87,000 square‑foot modular campus, consisting of academic buildings, a multipurpose room and an administration building, is being constructed off‑site by Modular Technologies which specializes in accelerated commercial construction.

“This is about the equivalent of the extreme makeover (home edition) for schools,” said Jim Migliorino, the district’s director of fiscal services. Although construction for Canyon Springs is well underway with five of the eight slabs poured and two buildings set in place–including the nine‑classroom kindergarten/first grade building–two structures used by West Wing still need to be removed.

The multipurpose building, which includes the cafeteria, is expected to arrive by the start of the school year, but won’t be ready for use until the early part of October. Administrators are working with the district to determine temporary cafeteria options. The district has used science classrooms or an air‑conditioned tent.

The campus is scheduled to open in August and will draw its student body from Gavilan Peak and Diamond Canyon schools.

Reach the reporter at ambria@thedesertadvocate.com.