Kalamazoo Public Schools is ready to break ground on a new El Sol Elementary School building — and the public is invited.
A public groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7th at 2:00 PM at 1428 Baker Drive. The KPS Board of Education approved a $36.8 million construction contract at its June 25th meeting, funded by the district’s 2022 bond, clearing the way for construction to begin.
The project has been years in the making. Bond funding was secured in 2022. Design discussions began in 2024. A design committee — made up of district administrators, two board members, El Sol staff, and the school’s principal — was formed in March 2025 and spent 16 months finalizing plans. Karen Jackson, KPS Director of Facilities Management, described the committee’s investment in the process at the board meeting.
“They just, their heart and soul was in it,” Jackson said. “They wanted to make sure we got it right.”
The new 87,000-square-foot building will be constructed at 1428 Baker Drive and is projected to open in August 2028. It will allow El Sol to expand from its current configuration to a K-8 school, creating a more seamless experience for students in the school’s Spanish immersion program. Architect Tower Pinkster designed the building; Skillman is serving as construction manager. The bidding process drew more than 450 contractors across 25 bid categories, resulting in 81 bids — a strong response that Jackson attributed in part to the project’s two-year construction timeline, which gave contractors more flexibility than compressed school-year projects typically allow.
The board also approved a separate $4 million renovation of Woodward School, funded by the same bond. That project will connect Woodward’s main building and its annex, eliminating the need for students to go outside to move between buildings and improving security access. Woodward is approximately 100 years old; the renovation will preserve the historic masonry structure while modernizing its facilities.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new El Sol Elementary is Tuesday, July 7th at 2:00 PM at 1428 Baker Drive, Kalamazoo. The public is welcome. More information is available at kalamazoopublicschools.com.
