Teachers and administrators show us unique features inside the new Alturas Academy

IDAHO FALLS – Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the new Alturas Preparatory Academy next to the Grand Teton Mall in Idaho Falls.

Principal Brian Bingham tells EastIdahoNews.com more than 300 students from Idaho Falls School District 91, Bonneville Joint School District 93 and Shelley Joint School District 60 will begin school in the 73,000-square-foot building on Aug. 30.

“(Pro Builders Inc.) started renovation in January of 2021 and so they’ve done a lot … to completely gut and reconstruct the inside within eight months,” Bingham says. “It’s incredible what they’ve done to get us this close to the finish line so students can walk in on Monday and have brand-new classrooms.”

The new building inside the old Sears location nearly triples the size of its old location in the O.E. Bell building at 151 North Ridge Avenue, which was for students in sixth through eighth grade. Kindergarten through fifth grade will remain at the old location and grades 6-10 will attend the new building. Grades 11 and 12 will be added in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

There are several unique features staff and administrators are excited about. Bingham says each classroom comes with a garage-style door that opens into the hallway to promote collaboration among students.

“We anticipate English and history classes being able to come together and do a cross-curricular project where what they’re learning in history can be reinforced in English and vice versa. We’re really excited that students … can come together in these wide hallways that are furnished and collaborate,” says Bingham.

Art teacher Shannon Claver is excited about the school’s new kiln, which is used for baking projects made of clay.

Get a look inside in the video player above.