Building projects abound as Broken Arrow students start school year

Written By: Brittany Harlow in collaboration with Broken Arrow Sentinel 

(BROKEN ARROW, Okla.) Students who arrived for a new school year at Broken Arrow Public Schools (BAPS) on Wednesday were also treated to a new building, and many more are in the works.

Read this story on Broken Arrow Sentinel here. 

Photos of the highly anticipated Event Center were presented at a recent in school board meeting. The 114,560-square-foot building has several classrooms, an arena and practice rooms for cheer and wrestling.

Coming up next is the new 8th Grade Center, which has already begun to be framed up, and the Jungle Bleachers, which will add 100 seats to stadium capacity. 

Meanwhile, renderings of the new additions at Rosewood Elementary and Highland Park Elementary, the Fine Arts remodel, the high school fence and security checkpoints and the Transportation Hub were also unveiled.

Mike Leitch is coming up on three years as the district’s Director of Construction. 

“I knew it was constantly busy and always challenging and that was really what I was looking for,” Leitch said, on why he applied for the job. “To be busy and challenged.” 

Those goals have worked out “remarkably well” so far, Leitch said. 

He said his team is able to keep up with it all through checklists, and most importantly, open and transparent communication — especially in the face of continued disruptions attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a year after the health emergency was declared officially over by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

“I think this far post-COVID, I think it’s ridiculous that we’re still going through high prices and shortages and supply chain issues,” Leitch said. “I think it’s absurd at this point. But we just deal with it the best we can and try to adjust schedules accordingly.” 

Construction projects further down the pipeline include new additions at Creekwood Elementary and Aspen Creek Elementary and a potential natatorium. 

With only about 20% of the 104-square mile district developed, Leitch said keeping a pulse on future construction — and funding — is key. 

Leaders from the city of Broken Arrow and BAPS have been meeting recently to discuss growth trends and housing needs in Broken Arrow as the city looks to consider recommendations from a housing study completed this year. 

“Looking forward, it’s really going to depend on the faithfulness of the voters to keep passing bond issues for the district so we can keep renovating, we can keep adding new buildings, new locations, as needed,” Leitch said. 

The BAPS Board of Education voted to hold the next bond sale for $7.1 million on Sept. 10 to continue funding current district construction.

Click here to see the latest photos and renderings of newly completed and upcoming construction projects at BAPS.