BOULDER, CO – Horizons K-8 School recently was selected by the state Capital Construction Assistance Board as one of 11 schools to receive a “Building Excellent Schools Today” grant. The school will get $5,067,761, from the state and is required to provide a financial match of $916,982. The funding will allow the school to construct a new wing that will house a middle school science lab (replacing the current lab in a portable classroom), an art room with adjoining kiln room and several classrooms. In addition, the funding will provide a new roof, new site lighting, ADA compliant restrooms and a designated health room, which the school has never had. The project also will include much needed upgrades to building systems such as electrical and plumbing, some of which date back to the building’s original construction in 1959.

“It's difficult to describe the extraordinary feeling of securing funding for the much-needed improvements of our facility. To say that we are thrilled is a gross understatement!” Principal Sonny Zinn said of receiving the grant.

Final approval of the grant will be decided by the State Board of Education at its August 3 meeting. Design work will begin next winter, with construction scheduled for the following spring/summer.

Horizons is the first BVSD school to be awarded a BEST grant. The BEST program provides funding to Colorado school districts, charter schools, institute charter schools, BOCES, and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind for capital construction projects. This year, the approved projects total about $172 million, $142 million in state funds and $30 million from local matches.

A new gym and kindergarten classrooms currently are under construction at the school through the district’s Bond Program.