LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Fort Knox Army post has opened its new, state-of-the art Van Voorhis Elementary School, and the $61 million project features classrooms unlike most others.
What You Need To Know
- Fort Knox opened its brand-new Van Voorhis Elementary School Aug. 13
- The school cost $61 million to construct
- It features open-concept classrooms, which encourage collaboration
- The building spans more than 100,000 square feet
“This very building in which we sit today began as an idea, an idea that was developed over four years ago,” said Laura Gibson, principal.
School and Fort Knox community leaders and students gathered Aug. 13 to introduce their new school to the rest of the state.
“We are not only officially opening the doors to a state-of-the-art educational facility, but we are reaffirming our commitment to our mission to educate, engage and empower military-connected students,” said Kimberly Dunn, Fort Knox community superintendent.
The building spans more than 100,000 square feet and features a unique layout. Grade levels are arranged in what is a "neighborhood" layout while individual classrooms are not cut off from one another. A central meeting area allows for easy collaboration among students and even teachers.
“This is not just a new building; it’s a beacon of hope, learning and community for our children,” said Col. Bridget Dalziel.
Several students, including fourth-grader Parker Kern, ceremoniously placed items into a time capsule. Kern placed black-and-white photos of the previous Van Voorhis school, which was built more than 60 years ago.
“We are including them in our time capsule, along with several yearbooks,” Kern said of the photos.
Kern’s father, John Kern, who is also a teacher, was in attendance.
“He’s been practicing the last couple of nights, reading, practice in front of the mirror ... and I think he did a great job,” Kern said.
Kern toured the building prior to the celebration and said he's impressed by the collaborative design.
“It’s nice to see the advancement in the building itself, the construction, just the room,” he added.
Fort Knox is one of only two Army installations in the continental U.S. with a K-12 school for children of military members or Department of Defense employed civilians.