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Spokane Students Return To Newly-Renovated School

Doug Nadvornick/SPR

The new year means a new school for several hundred children in southeast Spokane. A newly-renovated Franklin Elementary School opened its doors to students for the first time this morning [Monday].

Franklin is the quintessential neighborhood school. It was originally built in 1909. The new building retains much of the same look: two stories, brick exterior, but it’s newly-renovated and modernized inside.

Credit ALSC Architects
This is the architects' rendering of the renovated Franklin Elementary School.

For last year-and-a-half, as construction crews worked at Franklin, its students were attending the old Jefferson School, which was dubbed Camp Franklin. Now, with the holiday break over, students and their parents were back at their home school, gathered in front on a brisk, chilly morning as Principal Buz Hollingsworth welcomed them.

“Students, you will always be a part of history here as we open a new building," Hollingsworth said. "Even though the school is older than 100 years, you will always have a special spot with us. Parents, thank you for all of your understanding as we transitioned and lived at Camp Franklin for a year and are coming back, we thank you for your help.”

Spokane school officials estimate the Franklin School project cost about $26 million. It was paid for by funds authorized by voters in 2015. School board president Sue Chapin thanked them.

“As a Franklin School alum myself, this means a whole lot to me," Chapin said. "I want to wholeheartedly thank the citizens of Spokane who supported the school district by passing the bond that made this possible. This is your building and we want you to enjoy it for another 100 years to come.”

The district will host an open house at Franklin on Saturday, January 19.