Schools
Kolb Elementary School is Open for Learning
Hundreds of parents and future Kolb "Eagles" joined teachers, administrators and local politicians to open Dublin's newest school.
On Sunday, hundreds of parents, students, teachers, administrators and local politicians gathered in the courtyard outside Kolb's multi-purpose room to formally open the school and to recognize the Kolb family (for whom the school is named).
Speakers included Mayor Tim Sbranti, Board of Trustees President Dan Cunningham, DUSD Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke, Kolb Principal Lynn Medici (formerly principal of ) and PFC President Andie Weinstein. There was also a presentation of a $5,000 donation from the Esther B Collishaw Memorial Foundation and a declaration by State Assemblymember Joan Buchanan.
The donation was timely. According to Kolb PFC President Andie Weinstein, Kolb has only achieved 50 percent of its fundraising objectives (which rely on voluntary donations of $200 per family). Families can learn more about the Kolb PFC and how to donate at www.KolbPFC.org.
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Over the past year the 12-acre field across from has been transformed into Dublin's newest school — its full name being Harold William Kolb Elementary School — at an estimated cost of $26 million, according to DUSD Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke.
Kolb was funded through a combination of developer impact fees and funds from the State of California. Delays in State of California funding threatened the project earlier this year, but in the end the state came through and Kolb met construction timelines for an on-time opening. Bond Measure 'C' funds, which are being used for projects across the district, were not used for the construction of Kolb.
Find out what's happening in Dublinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Kolb joins five other elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools that make up the . Kolb will open with approximately 600 students for the 2011-12 school year and has room to expand to over 800 students in future years.
Parents joining Kolb Elementary School from will find many aspects of the school familiar. The design of Kolb was based on Green, with some key differences. Kolb's larger 12-acre site has made possible more classrooms as well as larger fields, playgrounds and courtyards.
Kolb Elementary School, like many other schools in Dublin, is named after early settlers of Dublin. George Kolb, born in Bavaria in 1866, came to America and purchased Dublin's General Store in 1894. George's children, Edwin and Harold, both attended Murray Elementary School, and generations of Kolb family members have played a role in Dublin history. Several members of the Kolb family were recognized at the ribbon-cutting event.
Distinctly absent from the event was controversy. A year ago, regarding how to manage student enrollment growth at the elementary school level. In the end, DUSD Board trustees voted to maintain the K-5 structure for elementary schools rather than change the grade configuration to K-4.
While concerns about school boundary lines continued into early this year, at the ribbon-cutting event the focus was on successfully opening Kolb Elementary for the first day back to school.
