The key to preserving and building upon a legacy often lies in a fresh start—restoring what worked, altering what didn’t and modernizing for the future. It was in that spirit that CCSD educators, families, elected officials and designers gathered amid the rubble of Matt Kelly Elementary’s original 1960 building on July 13 to break ground on a complete rebuild of the Westside school.
One month after demolition, and two after the final bell rang, Superintendent Jhone Ebert promised “red carpets, all the bling” when the replacement facility opens ahead of the 2027-2028 school year. Students will attend a “swing campus,” Ruth Fyfe Elementary, in the interim.
Students and staff shovel dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony.
The new $76 million, two-story structure will serve 440 students from 21 classrooms and will include a community resource center, amphitheater, garden and learning kitchen.
Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy II, an alumnus, joked that he was once the school’s 1995 tetherball champion before touting the next chapter as part of a $1 billion investment in the Historic Westside.
“This is a community that’s rich in history and opportunity, and our story is still being written,” McCurdy said.
It’s one of three new elementary school projects in 2026, alongside Indian Springs and Skye Canyon schools, following the opening of seven new campuses last year.
It comes on the heels of ongoing momentum. According to the Matt Kelly Elementary School Improvement Plan, recorded behavior incidents dropped from 141 to 69 between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years. And while roughly one in seven current students are projected to meet proficiency standards in math and reading, the fact that 77% of fourth and fifth graders surveyed said they’re getting a good education there indicates a brighter tomorrow.
“It is a declaration that every single child who walks through our neighborhood deserves an environment designed for their boundless success. It tells them without words that they matter,” said Principal Jerrell Hall
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