Roosevelt School District No. 66 provided the Governing Board with a “Reinventing Roosevelt” update on September 1, highlighting continued progress in transportation, facility maintenance, campus safety and major bond-funded projects.
The update reflects the district’s commitment to creating safe, welcoming and future-ready environments for students, staff and families.
Strengthening Student Transportation
During the 2026–2027 school year, Roosevelt’s transportation team is serving 2,234 students across 32 routes. This includes students in general education, students receiving Exceptional Student Services and students supported through the McKinney-Vento program.
The department currently has 21 yellow-fleet drivers and seven additional employees—including mechanics and office staff—who are also qualified to drive.
The district identified several challenges at the beginning of the school year, including the implementation of new BusRight routing software, changes in eligible ridership and an increase in students requiring specialized transportation. Customer service response times were also affected when office staff assisted with routes.
Another challenge involved ensuring that a parent or authorized adult was available to receive kindergarten through second-grade students and students receiving certain ESS transportation services after school.
To improve safety and reliability, the district is working to reduce its use of third-party transportation providers for students receiving ESS and McKinney-Vento services. Transportation staff will also receive training in student behavior, state and federal requirements, safe student delivery procedures and de-escalation. The department will use prior-year information to identify potential challenges and address them proactively.
Significant Improvement in HVAC Operations
The district also reported major progress in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning operations.
In August 2025, 76 HVAC units were critically down. By August 2026, that number had fallen to 10—a reduction of approximately 87%.
Throughout the summer, Roosevelt technicians and Pueblo Mechanical performed preventive maintenance, repairs and equipment replacements. Between July 1 and August 17, the district completed 156 HVAC work orders. Thirty work orders remained active at the time of the update, including three replacements, five coil repairs and other miscellaneous work.
These improvements have resulted in a significant reduction in HVAC-related calls from school campuses.
Creating Inclusive Outdoor Spaces
Playground improvements at Southwest Elementary School were completed in support of the August 3 opening of the school year. The project includes ADA-accessible features and a tactile musical play area designed to encourage recreation, outdoor learning and student engagement.
Similar improvements at Ed and Verma Pastor Elementary School are nearing completion. The upgraded playground will also include accessible play equipment and musical and tactile features. Final installation and project closeout activities are underway.
Improving Safety at Ignacio Conchos School
Construction of the secure office remodel at Ignacio Conchos School has been completed, and the renovated space is now in operation.
The new office layout creates a controlled point of entry and a secure pathway for students, staff and visitors. The improvements enhance campus safety, functionality and daily operations while providing stronger support for the Conchos community.
Building a Modern Media Center
Work is progressing on a new, future-ready media center at Ignacio Conchos School.
The redesigned space will include a modern media center, a makerspace and a flexible opening designed to support creativity, collaboration and hands-on learning. Two additional educational resource spaces will expand learning opportunities for students.
Construction and furniture installation are expected to be completed in September 2026.
Planning the Future of Rio Vista
Preliminary planning is underway for the replacement of Rio Vista Community School.
The design team is preparing a scope of services and fee proposal for anticipated Governing Board consideration in October. Future phases will include community engagement and support from a Construction Manager at Risk to review costs, construction feasibility, project scheduling and cash flow.
The district is evaluating preliminary timelines that could allow the new Rio Vista campus to open during either the 2028–2029 or 2029–2030 school year. The final timeline will depend on project feasibility and the sequencing of the district’s overall bond program.
Advancing the Lopez School Replacement
Planning for the replacement of Irene Lopez Academy of the Arts also continues to move forward. Three of four Visioning Committee meetings have been completed, helping establish priorities for the future campus.
Educational programming and capacity planning are underway to create a right-sized campus that supports future enrollment, flexible learning environments and the district’s long-term needs.
Initial site concepts and construction-phasing strategies are also being evaluated. Planning remains focused on campus safety, operational efficiency, community use and maintaining school operations during construction.
The district is pursuing a Construction Manager at Risk to provide early guidance on costs, construction feasibility, phasing and scheduling. Governing Board consideration is anticipated in October.
Together, these projects demonstrate Roosevelt’s continued investment in safe transportation, dependable facilities, inclusive learning spaces and modern campuses that will serve South Phoenix students and families for generations to come.