Theodore Judah Elementary School Expansion Breaks Ground

Fees, Measure Q school bond funds and a donation from the McKinley Village developer are paying for a $5 million expansion of the Theodore Judah campus in East Sacramento.

The building will measure 10,000 square feet on the Theodore Judah campus and will contain nine classrooms.

Corrie Buckmaster Celeste is school's principal. She says the idea originated five years ago from fourth, fifth and sixth graders who participated in a competition called "Project Green."

"They came up with a very comprehensive proposal based on their research about ways that we could improve our campus and our energy use," says Buckmaster. "One of those things that came out was a thought, an idea and a dream of what a two-story classroom building would be like on our campus."

Hand-painted shovels await the groundbreaking for a new building and classrooms at Theodore Judah Elementary School.   Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

A donation from Encore McKinley Village LLC, the developer of the controversial McKinley Village project, Measure Q school bond funds, and fees will pay the project cost.

"It's going to give us an opportunity to take our education to another level and continue meeting the needs of the community and the students," says Rob Ferrera, who is with the school's PTA.