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Grain Valley, MO —
By 2050, the Grain Valley School District could have more than 14,000 students – the same size as Blue Springs currently.
“When I first came here, people described Grain Valley as sort of a Blue Springs East,” Superintendent Roy Moss said during the June Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday. “We are just like Blue Springs was 30 years ago. Everything is indicating that is true.”
Moss gave an update on what is going on in the Grain Valley district during the monthly luncheon, which was at Grain Valley North Middle School. He said in fall 2011, Grain Valley had 3,700 students, up from 2,100 just 10 years ago.
“We are continuing to grow,” Moss said. “So we decided to work on long-range planning with a demographer to see what the future will look like.”
While the economy has slowed growth in Grain Valley, it has not stopped. The district averages between 100 and 150 new students a year, which means an additional 10 to 12 new teachers each year. While the 2012 graduating class had 243 students, all of the classes sixth grade and younger have more than 300 students.
With new housing developments and economic development such as the recently announced retail center and movie theater, Moss said the district could have as many as 5,000 students by 2020. In comparison, the Fort Osage School District has just more than 4,900 students.
“We discussed with the demographer that there are too many houses for sale and too many foreclosures in certain areas for these numbers to be correct,” Moss said. “But in their professional opinion, even with the economy, Grain Valley will grow.”
That growth has spurred a number of construction projects over the last decade, including Grain Valley North Middle School. A bond issue approved in April is allowing for the construction of another classroom addition as well as a new kitchen. The project is scheduled to be completed this fall.
However, in preparation for even more students, Moss said another wing and a half can be added to bring the building’s capacity up to 800 students, just like Grain Valley South Middle School.
“Growth is a good thing for the community,” Moss said. “We will just have to wait and see if the demographer’s predictions come true in 38 years.”
By 2050, the Grain Valley School District could have more than 14,000 students – the same size as Blue Springs currently.
“When I first came here, people described Grain Valley as sort of a Blue Springs East,” Superintendent Roy Moss said during the June Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday. “We are just like Blue Springs was 30 years ago. Everything is indicating that is true.”
Moss gave an update on what is going on in the Grain Valley district during the monthly luncheon, which was at Grain Valley North Middle School. He said in fall 2011, Grain Valley had 3,700 students, up from 2,100 just 10 years ago.
“We are continuing to grow,” Moss said. “So we decided to work on long-range planning with a demographer to see what the future will look like.”
While the economy has slowed growth in Grain Valley, it has not stopped. The district averages between 100 and 150 new students a year, which means an additional 10 to 12 new teachers each year. While the 2012 graduating class had 243 students, all of the classes sixth grade and younger have more than 300 students.
With new housing developments and economic development such as the recently announced retail center and movie theater, Moss said the district could have as many as 5,000 students by 2020. In comparison, the Fort Osage School District has just more than 4,900 students.
“We discussed with the demographer that there are too many houses for sale and too many foreclosures in certain areas for these numbers to be correct,” Moss said. “But in their professional opinion, even with the economy, Grain Valley will grow.”
That growth has spurred a number of construction projects over the last decade, including Grain Valley North Middle School. A bond issue approved in April is allowing for the construction of another classroom addition as well as a new kitchen. The project is scheduled to be completed this fall.
However, in preparation for even more students, Moss said another wing and a half can be added to bring the building’s capacity up to 800 students, just like Grain Valley South Middle School.
“Growth is a good thing for the community,” Moss said. “We will just have to wait and see if the demographer’s predictions come true in 38 years.”
