On the school supply list for eighth graders at Drake Middle School this year are books, pencils, and a brand new building. Drake unveiled the new eighth grade wing on Friday, Aug. 10, less than a week before students were due to start school. The wing will make room for sixth-graders moving up from elementary school this year — part of a district wide initiative to move all sixth-graders into middle school.

Construction on the wing was ongoing during the 2017-18 school year. The Jefferson County Board of Education approved $10 million for the expansion in 2017.

“When I see additions and expansions on our schools, I get really excited about the future for Jeffco, what we’re going to be able to do for our kids, the experiences they’re going to have with our schools,” Jeffco Superintendent Jason Glass said.

Glass thanked the board of education as well as the construction team for making the opening of the new wing possible. He also thanked Drake students and teachers for their patience during construction and the transition to the new building.

“This school has had an impact on our community for generations,” said Drake art teacher Rachel Dunn, who has been at the school since 2003.

“Today, we are celebrating our history and our future,” Board of Education President Ron Mitchell said with excitement.

“We worked hard to make some somewhat tough decisions to add our sixth graders to our middle schools and allocate some funds necessary to do this in a quality way,” he said. “Let’s get a great year started.”