The upcoming construction of the new Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School will impact the whole community. Construction of the new building will begin in late 2026, and the official opening will be in Fall 2029.
The plans for the new school include a state-of-the-art building at the current location and new athletic fields, while keeping the existing community pool. The school is also said to incorporate a walking path outside for students to walk around the campus. The new building was funded by a voter-approved bond, according to the Portland Public Schools bond plan. The project, designed to be more cost-effective, will allow students to remain in the old building during construction and includes features such as updated labs and a potential health center if approved by OHSU. The plan is to build a modern, four-story structure replacing the current facility, featuring larger, advanced classrooms.
Accessibility was a big focus in the construction of the new IBW. The cafeteria and classrooms would be large enough for wheelchair access and generally reduce crowding.
The new modernization and the school renovation will be a big change from the current building in its architecture, all the way through how different systems within the school will need to be placed, and sports for wells will have tons more field space for their use. After the new fields are put in, there will be more fields for the community to host events and games.
Currently, the loud heaters and unreliable air conditioners are very noticeable at IBW.
English teacher, Marrla Wilkinson, says, “I strongly believe that Wells needs working air conditioning and upgraded heating systems.” She also hopes that the new renovation can come with some updated textbooks and classroom supplies.
Many supplies in IBW classrooms are outdated. Teachers need to have textbooks that are updated to the current decade. This is valuable in case research has been updated and there is more information known about topics being addressed.
IBW renovation needs to incorporate these updates for the benefit of students’ education and teachers’ curriculum to be up to date.
