DeerPointe Elementary, the newest addition to the Fremont Public School system, had its grand opening on Monday, August 14, along with the other FPS schools. Parents, students and alumni of Clarmar Elementary, the previous name of DeerPointe before the construction and relocation, gathered for open house and back-to-school events.
DeerPointe was previously located on E 19th and N Clarmar Ave, but it’s now located at 2943 Elkhorn Drive – a location close to Fremont’s retail district and major roads.
Superintendent Mark Shepard explains the reasoning behind the relocation of DeerPointe.
“The original design had Clarmar moving to 16th and Clarmar – flipping the site similar to Howard Elementary and Washington Elementary,” Shepard stated.
The administration assembled a committee to analyze the unique components and challenges that led to Clarmar’s relocation.
“The 60-member Citizens Committee stated that Fremont High School needed its own site – not shared with an elementary school.”
There are three major connecting streets and three highways <within walking distance> located near DeerPointe. These streets are 23rd, Luther Road, Diers Parkway/Jones Road, Highway 275, Highway 30 and Highway 77.
After reviewing the premises and layout of DeerPointe, some parents and community members voiced worries about child safety.
A community much like Fremont has children with different educational backgrounds and requirements that need to be met. Teachers and parents know that young children can be unpredictable whether it’s from a verbal outburst in a classroom or an explosive tantrum leading the child to dart off school property during recess.
Currently, DeerPointe does not have a fenced-in playground. Other elementary schools within FPS do, which allows for further protection and safety precautions to be held in place. With the new location, there is a mutual fear of an increase in children being involved in automobile accidents due to the lack of protective infrastructure along the busy roadsides.
While these conditions may seem daunting, Sheppard assures that the school district and community have prioritized student well-being in response to the community’s concern for safety.
“The city commissioned a traffic safety/infrastructure study conducted by a traffic safety engineer prior to approval of the amendments to the subdivision,” Shepard said. “The study identified traffic counts and a series of safety measures to deal with safe speeds, student crossing, traffic flow etc. The safety/infrastructure measures were identified on a continuum of care – as the school enrollment and the internal lots are built out more infrastructure will need to be installed.”
With construction still underway for the landscape and playground, school administration continues to install fences around the playground and recess areas for added safety and security.
“There will be a fence installed around Deer Pointe, just as there is at Howard and Washington,” Shepard mentioned.
In addition, the community has identified a need to enhance the visibility of stop signs by installing stop lights instead of a four-way stop. The installation of a crosswalk with buttons, similar to the old ones on Clarmar Ave. has been suggested to be placed on Luther Road.
With limited space, FPS had to strive for a new location to help improve the education of local children. No matter the school district or location, all administrators, educators and parents should continuously read up on local safety concerns and communicate genuine concerns with local administration.
