SCUSD to Host Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies for Three Newly Constructed Schools Cesar Chavez, Nicholas, and Oak Ridge Elementaries completely rebuilt thanks to voter-approved funding.

Sacramento, CA - Following the completion of two years of construction, the Sacramento City Unified School District will host ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate the grand re-opening of each of its three new school campuses. The community is invited to attend for a tour and open house with free food and entertainment following a brief ceremony.

Each of the ultramodern campuses feature an oversized multipurpose room, a STEAM lab, a community room, several shade canopies, a U14 soccer field, and an overall focus on energy efficiency and environmental conservation. These campuses were specifically chosen for improvements based on high segregation and poverty indicators and other factors identified by Sac City Unified's award-winning Facilities Master Plan Equity Index that can be found at https://www.scusdplan.org.

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Nicholas Elementary:

• Address: 6601 Steiner Drive, Sacramento, CA 95823
• Time: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Friday, August 8 at 10:00 A.M.
• History: Nicholas Elementary was annexed by SCUSD in 1958. The Nicholas family owned large acreage in the area for many years and the school was built on a portion of this property. Unlike the other two schools that had classrooms still open during construction, this event will mark the return of students for the first time to Nicholas Elementary following a two-year closure of the entire site. Nicholas students were temporarily relocated to the former C.B. Wire Elementary School building since Fall 2023.

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Cesar Chavez Elementary:

• Address: 7495 29th St, Sacramento, CA 95822
• Time: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Monday, August 11 at 5:00 P.M.
• History: Edward Kemble Elementary was first built 62 years ago (1963) as a traditional K-6 Elementary, while Cesar Chavez Intermediate was added on the adjacent property in 2001 to address an immediate and sharp increase in enrollment. Chavez was created as an all-portable classroom site with little to no outdoor amenities for students such as play structures or open field access. The new Cesar Chavez replaces both the Edward Kemble Elementary and Cesar Chavez Intermediate School as one combined campus.

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Oakridge Elementary:

• Address: 4501 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95820
• Time: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Thursday, August 14 at 4:30 P.M.
• History: Originally called Fruit Ridge School, Oak Ridge Elementary was officially annexed into SCUSD in 1958. It was built on a plot of land where a large, lone oak tree grew, so upon annexation, the name was changed to Oak Ridge. This school has many students whose families have attended the same site for generations. Despite all efforts to preserve the old oak tree, it had to be removed to make way for the new building and a new mature oak tree was transplanted into the center of the new campus. The oak tree's legacy to the campus and neighborhood will be acknowledged as part of the ceremony.

"Two years ago when we broke ground, we promised our families that we would welcome them back in the Fall of 2025," said Lisa Allen, Superintendent, Sacramento City Unified. "These inspiring new schools that will instantly become community gems that will uplift the neighborhoods."

"These three schools were specifically chosen to send a clear message about our District's commitment to equity in public education," said Jasjit Singh, Board President, Sacramento City Unified. "The families in Meadowview, South Sacramento, and Oak Park deserve to have schools they can be proud of and where their children can learn and thrive."

The end of construction is the culmination of years of strategic planning and community collaboration, beginning with the passage of Measure H by Sacramento voters in March of 2020. The $750 million general obligation bond provided Sac City Unified with the funding to begin making some of the estimated $4.4 billion in facilities needs identified across the district.

For photos, drone videos, and renderings from this project, visit this link.

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