Woodland Hills Elementary Construction Under Way in West Des Moines

Editor's Note: This story ran earlier this week on Patch. We're featuring the information again this weekend.

Just a few months ago, the corner of Stagecoach Drive and 95th Street in West Des Moines was quiet, somewhat peaceful, green and the site of a giant cell phone tower.

Well, the cell tower is still there, but that pastoral feel has gone the way of bulldozers and forklifts as construction is under way on the Woodland Hills Elementary school in the former Michael's Landing development.

Woodland Hills, once completed, will be the seventh elementary school in the Waukee school district and the third in West Des Moines behind Brookview and Maple Grove elementary schools. 

Parents of children in the Waukee district might recognize the school's exterior design as it will be the fourth time officials have used it in the district.

According to an article on the Des Moines Register online edition, “It may not be too exciting to have four schools that all look the same, but it saves money in architecture costs, design fees — and especially change orders," said Waukee superintendent Dave Wilkerson. "If we can keep our costs down, I don’t think any of our parents care that there’s not a lot of variety," he said.

"If it means saving the district’s taxpayers a little money, so be it," he added.

Woodland Hills Elementary is scheduled to open in time for the 2013-14 school year. Boundary options are still being discussed in the district at this time.

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