Box Elder School District High Schools

Brigham City and Garland, Utah

Firm

VCBO Architecture

Client

Box Elder School District

Area

438,200 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$68,818,200

Completion Date

08/2010

With 11,000 students, Box Elder School District has two high schools: Box Elder High School in Brigham City and Bear River High School in Garland. Box Elder High was built complete in 1961, and Bear River High had nine buildings constructed from 1955 to 1988. Voters passed a bond of $70 million in 2007. Elementary school improvements required $14 million, which left $56 million for the high schools. But, how would the money be distributed? Based on student enrollment, the budget for Box Elder was set at $31 million and Bear River at $25 million.

Committees were formed at each school to create a list of priorities. The result is two "new" high schools where visitors approach and enter the schools experiencing fresh new architecture, inviting administration offices and an exciting, daylighted student commons/dining, designed to enable students to circulate freely while being supervised by staff.

Box Elder High School’s two-story, double-loaded classroom wing was replaced with four separate academies, including new science labs, art rooms and computer labs. The media center was replaced. Music rooms, the auditorium and gymnasiums were remodeled.

Bear River High School’s science building, language-arts building, gymnasium and media center were remodeled. New classrooms, music rooms, computer labs and FACS labs were built. Also, a unique, 36,000-square-foot physical-education facility with an artificial turf "floor" was constructed.