Gretna School District

[eomaha]

New school won't meet Gretna's needs for long

With Gretna's baby boom continuing, school officials expect the district will need another new elementary school - and soon.

At its meeting next month, the Gretna school board is scheduled to discuss setting up a new citizens' committee to examine the district's needs for more classroom space.

This comes just after the fall opening of a new school, Thomas Elementary, on the northeast side of town. It was paid for by a $21 million bond issue approved in 2002 that also covered expansion of the middle school.

Superintendent Kevin Riley said the district is trying to keep pace with the rapid construction of new houses and apartments and an influx of young families.

"If the growth continues, we know that we're going to face a similar fate as our neighbors in Elkhorn and Millard in that we're going to be looking at bond issues every few years," Riley said.

A few years ago, Gretna had about 380 children in the birth to 5-year-old range, Riley said. Now, the tally is 800.

Gretna's enrollment jumped 13 percent since last year to 1,963 students this year.

"We knew it was going to be higher, but not quite that high," said Alan Dietze, school board president.

Dietze said the board had anticipated that enrollment would be up about 100 students over last year. It actually was up more than 200.

Before it makes any recommendations, the committee will review population data, consider where the growth is concentrated and determine whether the district should add classrooms to existing buildings.

The district's tax levy this school year is $1.29 per $100 valuation.

[Brad]

Gretna Voters Approve $30M School Bond

http://www.ketv.com/news/5337602/detail.html

The bond issue will allow the district to build a third elementary school, expand and remodel a middle school, buy land for another elementary school and update district equipment and technology.

[adam186]

This doesn't really suprise me at all. Especially since the 1-5 age population has grown by 115% and there is already a ton over crowding in the schools.

[Coyote]

Speaking of Schools - Gretna #6 will be at 5909 S 201 St., NE of 204 and 370.

[BRoss]

Speaking of Schools - Gretna #6 will be at 5909 S 201 St., NE of 204 and 370.

Are you sure that's right? That address is north of Harrison.

[nebugeater]

Speaking of Schools - Gretna #6 will be at 5909 S 201 St., NE of 204 and 370.

Are you sure that's right? That address is north of Harrison.

SO is the Gretan District

[nebugeater]

Here is the current breakdown for the Elementary schools in the Gretna dist.

[Coyote]

It will be at 5909 South 201st St.

[BRoss]

Speaking of Schools - Gretna #6 will be at 5909 S 201 St., NE of 204 and 370.

Are you sure that's right? That address is north of Harrison.

SO is the Gretan District

Yeah, I was just confused because Coyote said NE of 204th and 370.

This is actually right by my parent's house and they've recently been expanding the neighborhood further west. In fact, I now remember hearing them talk about a new elementary school over Christmas.

It is amazing how far the Gretna school district extends now.

[Coyote]

3 News Now gets early look of brand new Gretna East Highschool



GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) — There's a brand new high school in Gretna. All it needs now is for the school year to start. The school is located off 180th between Cornhusker and Highway 370. This year, it will have freshmen, sophomores and juniors. It'll be a very different feel for kids who've been going to Gretna High. The new school has enough room for 1,600 students. For its first year, it will have about half that number.

Folks can see the school for themselves on July 28 from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. The first day of school is August 10.

[djc311]

3 News Now gets early look of brand new Gretna East Highschool



GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) — There's a brand new high school in Gretna. All it needs now is for the school year to start. The school is located off 180th between Cornhusker and Highway 370. This year, it will have freshmen, sophomores and juniors. It'll be a very different feel for kids who've been going to Gretna High. The new school has enough room for 1,600 students. For its first year, it will have about half that number.

Folks can see the school for themselves on July 28 from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. The first day of school is August 10.

I've driven by this a few times now when I've ventured over to the new HyVee on 370 (since 192nd is now torn up).

I was surprised to hear they said it will hold 1600 students. To me, the school looks like a small college campus from the outside. I would have thought easily 2000 kids. I went to Central and I think our entire student body at the time was almost 2000 across 4 grades.

In any case it looks very nice - I always wanted to be the first class in a new school when I was a kid but never had the opportunity with Saunders, Howard Kennedy, Dundee, Lewis and Clark and Central... although I guess L&C had been rebuilt in '75 due to the tornado (it was always a big deal that we were one of about 2 schools with central air, LOL).

[Coyote]

Take a look at Gretna East High School



With $120 million price tag, Gretna East High School to open Aug. 10 with 750 students.

[Coyote]

Inside look at the new, state-of-the-art Gretna East High School



The new Gretna East High School — nearly three years in the making — is set to welcome students Aug. 10. KETV NewsWatch 7 got a sneak peek at the state-of-the-art facility.

[CBJason]

I was surprised to hear they said it will hold 1600 students. To me, the school looks like a small college campus from the outside. I would have thought easily 2000 kids. I went to Central and I think our entire student body at the time was almost 2000 across 4 grades.

Yeah, 1600 does seem small. Here where I live the new high school that opened for the 2018 school year was built to accommodate 3,000 and expandable to another 1,000 I think. I realize the price difference due to inflation but it was built for $94M and became the biggest school in Tennessee.

[ChadJK]

I was surprised to hear they said it will hold 1600 students. To me, the school looks like a small college campus from the outside. I would have thought easily 2000 kids. I went to Central and I think our entire student body at the time was almost 2000 across 4 grades.

Yeah, 1600 does seem small. Here where I live the new high school that opened for the 2018 school year was built to accommodate 3,000 and expandable to another 1,000 I think. I realize the price difference due to inflation but it was built for $94M and became the biggest school in Tennessee.

I think we just tend to have smaller high schools here than some other metros. When we lived in Tulsa I was shocked to hear how many kids went to the local high schools. It's a similarly-sized metro area and they probably have half of the high schools we do. They build bigger ones not additional ones. That's probably one of the reasons their high school football teams have been nationally ranked at times. It's a lot easier to pull a superstar team from a pool of 3,500 students than from a pool of 1,500 students. Also, their high school football stadiums rival some college football stadiums.

[almighty_tuna]

Also, their high school football stadiums rival some college football stadiums.

That's definitely a Texas/Oklahoma thing. Idk why, but they take their Friday Night Lights uber seriously.

[bigredmed1]

Participation in extracurricular stuff at a leadership level is increasingly critical in college admissions and scholarships. Large schools tend to be more difficult to navigate if you are a late bloomer or spent the first half of puberty growing 50 cm and tripping over your feet. This makes sports and super competitive activities not a viable part for a lot of kids. There are a number of districts like Elkhorn, where schools are kept small to keep more kids able to get a chance.

[Coyote]

Gretna East football prepares for inaugural season

[nativeomahan]

It’s just amazing how fast that both the Gretna and Elkhorn areas have grown in the past decade.

[djc311]

It’s just amazing how fast that both the Gretna and Elkhorn areas have grown in the past decade.

You should see how much progress they've already made on the new middle school going up at 192nd & Giles. I live down the street from there and it seemed like it was a farm just a couple of months ago... they've already built a 2-story wall and have made significant progress on the infrastructure. The new roundabouts (not a fan, but I guess I'm in the minority, LOL) are going in simultaneously.

Blows my mind how fast Gretna has been putting these schools together. I don't have stats to back me up, but given their size they seem to take the reigns and make things happen much faster than Omaha, or Elkhorn for that matter. The new YMCA that's going to open next month is about as decent of a waterpark as FunPlex... and from what I have heard I think admission is going to be about as steep

[ChadJK]

If GPS wasn't putting up schools as rapidly as possible then MPS would be encroaching. Just look at Reeder Elementary School at 192nd & Chandler. How is that Millard? I know there's a game and science to where you build schools so you can snag as much property tax revenue for your district as possible. That's why PLCS and OPS have schools in Bellevue (Bryan High at 42nd & Giles, Anderson Grove Elementary at 36th & 370, and Golden Hills Elementary at 30th & 370). Back when they were built the DOD was paying local school districts "Impact Aid" for military students and they all wanted a piece of that.

[djc311]

If GPS wasn't putting up schools as rapidly as possible then MPS would be encroaching. Just look at Reeder Elementary School at 192nd & Chandler. How is that Millard? I know there's a game and science to where you build schools so you can snag as much property tax revenue for your district as possible. That's why PLCS and OPS have schools in Bellevue (Bryan High at 42nd & Giles, Anderson Grove Elementary at 36th & 370, and Golden Hills Elementary at 30th & 370). Back when they were built the DOD was paying local school districts "Impact Aid" for military students and they all wanted a piece of that.

The district lines are dumb out here, IMO. We live in a subdivision near 185th & Giles that's considered Millard schools. However if you go 3 blocks west to a Celebrity Homes subdivision, it's Gretna schools. There's a Gretna elementary school on 192nd about 2 blocks north of Giles. Then Reeder like you mentioned is almost directly across the street from that Gretna elementary school. The new Gretna Jr High on 192nd and Giles is literally about 6 blocks from our house. Yet our district sends our daughter to Beadle which is Millard.

I get it, you have to have a line somewhere but it's very foolish to do it the way they do. We have friends that live in Bellbrook which is close to Reeder. Her kids go to Reeder yet a neighbor down the street from her goes to Gretna schools and they even have others in the same subdivision that attend Elkhorn schools.

[Coyote]

Gretna families upset over elementary school boundary shifts



GRETNA, Neb. — Some Gretna parents say they were blindsided by new elementary school boundary lines. The district superintendent says it's about predicting future growth, but some families tell KETV Newswatch 7 there wasn't enough communication. In 2021, Ben Williams left active duty to provide his four kids some stability. He moved back home to the metro and settled down in Gretna.

Now they're changing schools again.

[djc311]

Gretna families upset over elementary school boundary shifts



GRETNA, Neb. — Some Gretna parents say they were blindsided by new elementary school boundary lines. The district superintendent says it's about predicting future growth, but some families tell KETV Newswatch 7 there wasn't enough communication. In 2021, Ben Williams left active duty to provide his four kids some stability. He moved back home to the metro and settled down in Gretna.

Now they're changing schools again.

I love living out in far SW Omaha - we are actually in Sarpy County near 185th & Giles, however we're one of the last areas that fall inside the Millard School District rather than Gretna. However, I've always though it's weird that I can see the new Gretna Jr High being built at the corner of 192nd & Giles even though our daughter isn't in that district... I mean it's walking distance!

Anyway, if I did live within the Gretna district I'd be pretty upset about the frequent school realignment they seem to often go through. If I live in Aspen Creek between 180th & 192nd between Cornhusker and HWY 370 then I would "think" my kids should go to Aspen Creek Elementary where many of them could likely walk to school. To have that change out of the blue after living there for x years already would make me upset.

I can vouch for the fact that we specifically moved into this area in order to keep our kid at MPS. Granted they're not making them change districts, however it's almost just as bad. Kids are resilient but at the same time uprooting them from what they know when they're only 5-6-7-8 years old is not necessarily the easiest transition to handle. It's quite honestly not fair, especially if you build or move for that reason.

Sometimes govt and the powers that be pull some crappy moves that you have no input towards and it sucks.