Geary USD 475 cut the ribbon Friday morning on the third new school to be built on Fort Riley in the past four years.

The new Fort Riley Elementary School joins the new Fort Riley Middle School that opened in time for last school year and Seitz Elementary School that opened two years ago.

All three schools were built using partnerships between the school district, the Office of Economic Adjustment and the State of Kansas.

Governor Sam Brownback was in attendance Friday for the ribbon cutting and spoke of the importance of those partnerships.

“Without that partnership we aren’t in front of this building here today,” said Brownback. “Students of Fort Riley Soldiers will now learn in safer, more modern classrooms with fabulous teachers. When Soldiers leave on deployment, we want to ease their minds knowing that their kids are getting a great education.”

When the school district went out for bid for the new school last year, bids came in $4 million higher than originally expected. Through cost cutting efforts the district was able to cut the overrun in half and the Office of Economic Adjustment and the State of Kansas pitched in to cover the remaining $2 million at no cost to USD 475.

The new school offers over 76,000 square feet of space for up to 500 K-5 students, and houses spacious classrooms, an innovative library media center, wireless technology and mobile labs. The gymnasium also serves as a tornado safe room built to FEMA standards to withstand 250 mph wind speeds.