West Ada trustees Monday selected a name for an elementary school that will open in Star next year: Independence.
The name is a nod to the United States’ 250th anniversary, which will coincide with the school’s opening ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
“I’ll be supporting this, proudly, for our nation’s birthday,” said trustee David Binetti.
Binetti was part of a committee that recommended potential names to district patrons. Star Mayor Trevor Chadwick also served on the committee, along with a teacher and principal working in Star.
The committee conducted a survey with three initial options, including Independence, Beacon Light — a road that runs through Star — and Foothills. A second survey narrowed it down to two options, and respondents overwhelmingly supported Independence over Beacon Light.
Trustees unanimously approved the name Monday.
The district will select the school’s mascot and colors at a later date.
West Ada broke ground on Independence Elementary last month. The $20 million facility will house 700 students in a rapidly growing area. Currently, students who live south of State Highway 44 are bussed about seven miles to Eagle, EdNews previously reported.
Construction of the new school is funded by a portion of West Ada’s roughly $150 million share from House Bill 521, the state’s school facilities funding package. Enacted last year, the bill divided about $1 billion in state bonds based on districts’ attendance figures. West Ada, Idaho’s largest school district with about 40,000 students, got the largest share, by far.
Trustees approve emergency declaration to add portable at Star Elementary
A separate school board decision Monday offered further evidence of Star’s growth. Trustees approved an emergency declaration to add portable classrooms at Star Elementary following a surge in enrollment.
West Ada’s only existing elementary school in the city, Star Elementary was expected to have 800 students this year, David Reinhart, the district’s chief operating officer, wrote in a letter to trustees. But actual enrollment is 860.
“After reviewing all possible options, the only viable solution is to provide the campus with a two-classroom portable unit to ensure students can be accommodated in a safe, organized, and instructional setting,” Reinhart wrote.
The emergency declaration — which trustees quietly approved as part of their consent agenda — allows the district to bypass a formal bidding process and immediately install the portables. The school is scheduled to start the new year Wednesday.
Carmi Scheller, a teacher at Star Elementary, thanked district leaders for addressing the problem. When the school hosted its back-to-school meet-and-greet, “it was remarkable how tight it was,” Scheller said during Monday’s school board public comment period.
