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Westside will incorporate a number of the historical elements from the Oakdale elementary building into the new building, including the school bell, the 1869 sign and timbers from the original structure. However, contractors determined that brick from the oldest part of the building was too fragile to salvage in a cost-effective fashion. 

Oakdale, Swanson, and Prairie Lane students will attend a temporary elementary swing school located in the upper level of the Westside Community Conference Center, 3534 S. 108 Street, while the school is being constructed. The elementary swing school, now occupied by Oakdale elementary, has many of the amenities students will enjoy when they move into their new permanent buildings, including a secure entrance vestibule and separate spaces for gym and cafeteria.

Westside High School Career Center students will attend classes in the same building as the elementary students, but they will occupy separate levels with controlled access points. The high school students will have their own entrance and parking lot located on the northwest corner of the building’s lower level. The elementary students will use the main entrance on the upper level.

Community engagement is an important part of the design and project management process. Westside will hold community meetings for each school undergoing new construction during the conceptual design phases to gather feedback for the initial design. The District and architectural design teams will present final design concepts after they are approved by the Board of Education.

The design teams will conduct community meetings during the early conceptual design phase to receive community feedback regarding exterior building features and site design.