Cottonwood Creek School Opens to an Enthusiastic Crowd with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

DUBLIN, CA–On a sun-kissed Saturday morning, numerous Dublin residents and dignitaries gathered to witness the ceremonial opening of the newest school site in the Dublin Unified School District – Cottonwood Creek School. Located off of Fallon Road and Jordan Ranch, Cottonwood is the newest Kindergarten through Eighth grade (K-8) campus serving the school district. Initially, it will incorporate grades through the seventh until 2019-2020 when it expand to include eighth grade students.

While the opening was cherished with much fanfare, Dublin Mayor David Haubert went to great lengths to articulate that the fruition of this project was a product of four years of hard work between the City of Dublin and the Dublin Unified School District. Under the leadership of former Superintendent Steve Hanke and the sitting Board of Trustees, it was evident that there would be a critical need for an additional school site that could provide scalability – up to and including the ability to house students at multiple grade levels.

At the time, the principal challenge was land acquisition and its accompanying cost. Proceeds from previously passed bond funds were available, but their expenditure for land and construction would jeopardize this project, unless a creative solution could be found. In a unique collaboration between the City of Dublin and DUSD, an endpoint was discovered that would complement the construction of a public school site that would combine the amenities that could provide a public park that could serve the greater community. As noted by Mayor Haubert, the transaction could be accomplished by allowing the City of Dublin to lease the land needed for the school site by charging the school district $1 per year.

It was a creative solution by both parties and one that allowed this project to move forward. In between, it was necessary for DUSD to reconsider and modify housing boundary lines in order to shift enrollment with as limited turmoil as possible. Most every school site was impacted – most notably from Amador & Kolb Elementary and Fallon Middle School. In the end, most of these students will have the rare experience of being “pioneers” and enroll in a school that has never existed – until now.

Principal Joyce Gibson has been enrolled to guide this school site through its new horizon. As a veteran of Kolb Elementary School, Ms. Gibson appears to be a properly qualified administrator for the launch of a new school. She was able to share the stage with several members of the DUSD Trustees, City of Dublin Council members and other noted guests.

As the sun rises on the 12th school site within DUSD on Tuesday, we wish the leadership, staff, students and families of Cottonwood Creek School the best for a wildly successful and academically fruitful first year. Best wishes from OneDublin.org.

More updates available here in a #BulletinFromGoogle story.