By the end of the decade, school life in Ankeny could change dramatically.
In a news release Tuesday, the Ankeny Community School District unveiled its initial plans for an “innovation center” for secondary students, a new building that will offer career, technical and other specialized programs. District officials envision the center as a place where students can study with professionals in engineering or computer science, set up their own co-working spaces or cafes, or grow crops with their own hands.
More programs are being planned. Students could explore career paths and gain experience through field trips, pre-apprenticeships, internships and internships. Officials hope the center will provide students with opportunities to prepare for life after high school, whatever path they take. It would complement the programs at Ankeny’s high schools.
“Our core planning team has invested extensive research into designing the future student experience,” Superintendent Erick Pruitt said in a press release. “The innovative center will emphasize partnership, program diversity, facility flexibility and student mobility, and provide a dynamic environment for learning and collaboration.”
The district plans to put the project before voters in a bond referendum in 2025. The building is scheduled to open for the 2028-29 school year.
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Where would Ankeny’s new innovation center be?
The proposed location for the innovation center is south of Heritage Elementary School and on the campus of Des Moines Area Community College, near the intersection of South Ankeny Boulevard and DMACC Boulevard. The location would be across from Wig & Pen Pizza and Cafe Diem.
The district does not own the proposed site, but is exploring a potential land option, according to the press release and county documents. An early design document shows a parking lot that would replace the existing DMACC buildings. The district plans to work with DMACC on the hub and is working on an agreement on what the site will ultimately look like.
Initial designs envision a sleek, warm and glassy three-story building spanning the creek that runs through the area. The building would have a large foyer, laboratory space, meeting rooms, quieter spaces for students and an outdoor area for programs. There could even be a boardwalk along the site’s wetland.
Proposals for Ankeny’s innovation center are still in the early stages and details are not yet finalized. Planning is ongoing and more details on design, programs and costs will be announced in October. Opportunities for community members to participate in the planning, provide feedback and receive updates will also be announced.
The innovative center was first announced last spring as part of the district’s work addressing facility use, school districts and classroom configuration. The school board approved a plan at the time to change the middle school to grades 6-8, while the high school would include grades 9-12.
The planning work for the change in grade levels is also still ongoing.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern and northern suburbs for the Register. You can reach him at [email protected] or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.
