CHUBBUCK — School is now in session at Alpine Academy Middle School.

The new facility, located at 1195 Alpine Ave. in Chubbuck, held its grand opening and open house as well as its first day of classes earlier this month, heralding a new chapter for the Academy Charter Schools with the introduction of a new building for its middle school students.

“We’re going to provide a really strong middle school environment here and get the kids ready for high school,” said School Board Chair Mark Stenberg at the grand opening event. “Today, we’re … adding a building to our educational journey here, and adding new families and new kids. It’s just a great welcoming day.”

The middle school, located next to Connor Academy Public Charter School which now serves students from grades K-5, was a $12 million dollar project that broke ground last August and offers nearly 32,000 square feet to its students in grades six through eight.

Designed and built by Big-D Construction in collaboration with Hummel Architects, the interior offers 10 general classrooms as well as a special education room, an art classroom, a science classroom, a computer classroom, a media center, a music and drama classroom that can be converted into a stage and more.

It also has a set of “learning stairs” for assemblies and social gatherings, windows that allow those in the halls to see into classrooms and allow for more natural light, and a set of “garage doors” attached to many classrooms that allow for collaboration between classes, the option to provide more space for a class, and more.

For cousins Josh Crandall and Josalyn Harman, the garage doors, the learning stairs, and the décor are all unique aspects of the new facility. Josh, who is in sixth grade, will be walking the halls and enjoying his favorite subject, art, in the new art classroom, while Josalyn will be finishing up fifth grade at Connor Academy before transitioning to Alpine Academy next year.

“We love it. It holds kids to a higher standard but they live up to it,” said Stephanie Harmon, Josalyn’s mother and a member of the school board. She and her husband, TJ, have had four previous children attend Connor Academy, and have seen their children develop positive habits and grow after transitioning to a charter school.

Stephanie added, “Our oldest daughter was in the District 25 schools until 2nd grade and was not doing well for a lot of different reasons, but we put her (in Connor Academy) and it challenged her. Her worst subject was math because she hated the tedious repetitive problems, and we put her here because they … can meet the needs of kids at the level they’re at and she thrived. She thrived with the routine, she thrived with the expectations. The motivation is positive and encouraging. So we put all our kids here because it worked so well, and then when they transitioned from eight grade into the high school, they have good study habits and good expectations for themselves for their education.”

“We don’t really have to remind our kids often to do their homework,” added TJ. “They establish good behaviors right from the start, and so when they get into the high school they really do a good job.”

Stenberg explained that Connor Academy and Alpine Academy are free public schools open to all students, and that with the two schools combined they’re larger than many school districts in the state of Idaho in terms of student population. Funding comes from the state and federal levels, and their administrative board is comprised of volunteers who are mission-driven.

“Our mission is to provide a safe learning environment where all learners can thrive, and we extend that to our staff here, too,” Stenberg said. “We want a safe environment where our staff can thrive, feel valued and be rewarded for their efforts in the school. That vision has been consistent for us through the school 17 years at this point.”

Superintendent Joel Lovstedt expressed gratitude towards all who have contributed to the making of the new facility, explaining that even through the winter he saw many construction workers out in the elements building the new school.

“This was a harsh winter,” said Lovstedt. “I saw these guys coming out here, and it was 20 degrees and the winds were going 20, 30 miles an hour and they were out there pounding nails and lifting beams, breaking ice up and they just kept going and working it.”

He explained they held a parent orientation last Thursday where parents could come and tour the building, and that many stopped to ask him a question.

“They said, ‘Isn’t this a beautiful building? Are you proud of what you have achieved here?’,” he said at the event Friday. “So here’s my answer. Yes, this is a magnificent building. Yes, I am confident it will be a successful school. And yes, our students will continue to distinguish themselves through kindness, respect and strong academic skills. However, it’s important to note that my role in this project has been relatively modest. Today I want to take a moment to acknowledge the businesses and more particularly the subcontractors whose contributions are often overlooked, but were absolutely indispensable for our design, finance and project management.”

Stenberg later added to this, stating that the completion of the new school — and the success of Connor Academy — is an ongoing multi-leveled contribution from the community and beyond.

“Not one person has made this happen,” he said. “Everybody contributes … it’s the parents getting kids to school. It’s the kids doing their homework. It’s the teachers being prepared, delivering curriculum … it’s our administration. It’s the volunteers in the schools. It’s the volunteers on the school board. It is the outstanding craftsmen and tradesmen who put this building together … it’s just everybody doing their part the best (way) they can.”

Lovstedt explained that the school board is more than happy to provide tours for those interested in either school. To learn more about the Academy Charter Schools, visit academycharter.net.