Ursa Major Elementary School is part of the Anchorage School District (ASD) and located on District leased property on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER). JBER supports over 32,000 active-duty personnel, their families, and civilian personnel. Prior to closing in 2022, due to seismic concerns, Ursa Major Elementary School served 391 students in grades Pre-K through 5th grade.

The 2022 closure of Ursa Major elementary school had a significant impact on JBER’s other on-base elementary schools. The nearest school, Ursa Minor, is at 123% capacity, while the two other elementary schools are at 98% and 93% capacity. To complicate matters, JBER is expecting to receive almost 500 new service members within the next few years.

Anchorage School District proposes the construction of a new elementary school facility of the same name on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson to meet the Facilities Condition Assessment Report (FCAR) condition deficiencies outlined by the DoD in the 2019 Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List, capacity deficiencies, and deficiencies identified by the Anchorage School District. The proposed construction will meet state and federal design guidelines, capacity requirements, updated energy requisites, and technology needs. The existing facility will be demolished, and the new facility will occupy approximately the same footprint.

Demolition of the existing building will begin in the summer/fall of 2025. Design has begun, with new construction slated to begin in summer of 2026. The design team is meeting frequently with ASD staff members and JBER community to identify specific needs and/or concerns with the design. The new Ursa Major elementary school will be approximately 47,000 square feet and educate 400 students. The design will incorporate elements that will easily allow for expansion to accommodate additional classrooms.

Site work is expected to accommodate new building orientation and layout. This will include separate bus loops for parents and bus drop-off/pick-up, designated parking for visitors and staff parking, and age-appropriate playgrounds and fields. Functional spaces will include hard and soft surface play areas, as well as an area for ice skating.

The new Ursa Major elementary school will be one of the most seismically resilient and secure buildings in the District. Designing to the latest seismic building code and using modern materials will improve the facilities ability to endure future earthquakes with less probability of collapse and less likelihood of experiencing significant structural damage. The building will also have the latest advances in security technology to protect students and staff. Features include access control at main entry and staff access points, electronic locking at main entry points, security cameras on the building exterior and entry points, and secure vestibule with remotely controlled doors and visitor routing through the main office.

The facility will be constructed to Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) Silver standards, or higher, to ensure a highly energy efficient and healthy building. The building design and choice of construction materials will maximize insulation and maintain a tight seal on the building. Concurrently, the heating and ventilation system will ensure students can learn in a warm, dry, environment with ample fresh air. Lastly, the facility will be compliant with the Build America Buy America Act (BABAA).

To learn more about BABAA, visit the United States Department of Commerce website at:

https://www.commerce.gov/oam/build-america-buy-america

To learn more about LEED, visit the United State Green Building Council website:

https://www.usgbc.org/