Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. board members made the name of the new westside elementary school official last night.
The name will be Maple Grove Elementary School in part as a nod to maple trees on Tipton Lakes Boulevard off State Road 46 where the new school will be built, as well as the grove and ravine behind the 23 acre site, BCSC officials said.
The school corporation’s 12th elementary school, the first since Clifty Creek in 1982, will cost an estimated $60 million and is to accommodate the city’s continued expansion to the west and south. In addition, BCSC officials have said the new school will provide requisite spaces in the other 11 elementary schools for high-quality STEM instruction, flexible learning areas including student common spaces and wellness support centers, as well as locations for specialized staff such as occupational, physical and speech therapists.
BCSC officials previously said approximately 650 students will attend the new school.
Maple Grove was one of 10 options included in a survey what went out to the public, asking participants to list their top three from the list. The survey received 1,308 responses and BCSC’s districting and facilities committee landed on the final recommendation.
The name also pays respect to one of Columbus’ original schools, built in 1896 by Charles Sparrell. Sparrell prolifically designed several notable buildings in Columbus during his approximately 20 years in the city during the late 19th century including the original Crump Theater, the former Columbus City Hall, First United Methodist Church and others.
The former Maple Grove Elementary is the current BCSC Administration building at 1200 Central Ave., and only operated under the name for 11 years. It was renamed as Garfield Elementary in 1907 before closing as a school in 1974. The building then served as Arvin Headquarters from 1989 to 2005 when it became the district’s administration building.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Brett Boezeman said the project will be out for bid this summer with construction starting in August. Redistricting efforts will take place in late 2026 into 2027 and Maple Grove will be open for classes in time for the 2027-28 school year.
Boston-based Howeler+Yoon was selected to design the new westside elementary school and is working alongside architecture firm of record CSO Architects. Taylor Bros and Pepper Construction are working as construction manager/constructor on the project.
