Remember the 2020 school bond? This Tacoma campus got a major facelift because of it

When students at Tacoma’s Bryant Montessori School returned Sept. 9 for the first day of classes , they filed into a sleek, brand-new building.

Over the past couple years, the PK-8 school has been demolished and built back from the ground up. In 2020, voters approved a $535 million school-construction bond , and eight Tacoma Public Schools campuses — including Bryant — were picked for replacement or renovation.

Members of the public can now see for themselves how some of that money has been spent. The district is hosting a grand opening of Bryant, 717 S. Grant Ave., on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m.

The News Tribune got a sneak peak of Bryant before students arrived on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Principal Neil O’Brien told the newspaper that although he was not principal during Bryant’s previous iteration, he’d heard stories about the old campus. It had leaky roofs and ceilings, he said, and portables where there’s now a playground and grassy field.

Students and their families have an attachment to Bryant, he said.

“There is a lot of excitement in the community to have the new building, and really an affirmation of what we’re doing,” he said.

He later added: “There’s warmth everywhere in this school.”

Sunlight floods into large windows at Bryant, accentuating its natural-wood features, calming wall colors and modern lighting.

In a video posted Sept. 26 to YouTube, fifth-grader Walter Weatherspoon and eighth-grader Jaice Sem record their own tour through the new Bryant. They highlight some of their favorite features, such as home-shaped bathroom mirrors and the new community garden.

“As our minds grow, I feel like this garden will be sure to follow,” Jaice says in the video. “The flowers here are going to be just as beautiful as the human mind.”

Another notable design touch: The cafeteria features a silhouette of the Tacoma skyline.

Head cook Ikeyshia Weatherspoon, Walter’s mom, is a fan of the new space. She told The News Tribune that it’s good to be back in the neighborhood; students can again walk to school.

While the new building was being constructed, students took classes at the former site of Skyline Elementary School.

“We’re the same Bryant that we have always been,” Weatherspoon said. “But now we have a better, bigger space for kids to … feel welcome — and know that they have a place that they can learn, that’s new and comfortable.”

How much did the replacement cost?

Stacy Page, facilities communication manager at TPS, told The News Tribune via email that the “final budget and expected cost” [emphasis hers] for Bryant Montessori 2.0 is $53,940,000.

Page also sent a construction timeline for the other schools included in the 2020 bond:

• Hunt Middle School: Opened 2021

• Downing Elementary: Opened 2022

• Skyline Elementary: Opened 2022

• Fawcett Elementary: Opened 2023

• Bryant Montessori: Opened fall 2024

• Oakland High School: Expected to open fall 2025

• Lowell Elementary: Expected to open fall 2026

• Whittier Elementary: Expected to open fall 2027

The old Bryant was constructed in 1960 , as noted on the district’s website.

Referencing the bond, O’Brien said he’s grateful for the community’s support.

“Teachers work hard,” he continued, “and when we feel the support of the community, it just puts wind in our sails.”