HUNDREDS ATTEND GRAND OPENING
A few hundred students, alumni, staff, community members, and project team members gathered for the ribbon cutting and open house for the grand opening of the Platte County High School Phase 1 project on Dec. 8.
Following comments from Dr. Jay Harris, superintendent of Platte County School District; Patrick Smith, Incite Design Studio designer; Lynn Newkirk, Newkirk Novak Construction Partners owner; Dr. Keith Jones, PCHS principal; Abigail Wittel, PCHS student body president; and Doug Doll, president of the Platte County School District Board of Education, the official ribbon was cut and the facility was opened for self-guided tours for guests.
The classroom wing and the cafeteria will open up for full student use starting second semester, practices will begin in the new fieldhouse and wrestling room in mid-December, and events are scheduled to begin in the new facility after the first of the year.
The project was part of Platte County R-3’s April 2021 no tax increase bond issue, and included a two-story addition on the southwest side of PCHS where the former baseball field was located.
This phase includes 26 classrooms, including science labs and flexible learning spaces; a new main gymnasium complex, weight room and health classroom; cafeteria commons; and kitchen/serving area.
Phase I also included the construction of a new baseball field, some stadium upgrades, and improved parking and traffic patterns.