Officials break ground for fourth MUSD middle school

MUSD superintendent Jennifer Root addresses the audience at groundbreaking for Middle School 4. (Photo credit: Menifee 24/7)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Officials of Menifee Union School District, school board members, City Council members and other dignitaries gathered in a graded but otherwise vacant 17-acre lot Tuesday to celebrate groundbreaking for the district’s fourth middle school.

The school, which has not yet been named, is being built on Audie Murphy Road, just west of La Ladera Park in the northwest part of the city. Scheduled to open in time for the 2023-24 school year, Middle School 4 will serve a rapidly developing area of the city that has no nearby school for students in grades 6-8.

“We recognize that the schools are foundational to the growth and development of any community,” MUSD Superintendent Jennifer Root told a small group gathered at the site. “In the building of Middle School 4, we are honored to provide the community with a beautiful facility that will set the stage for growth and development for hundreds of middle school students each year."

The project will span over 100,000 square feet under one roof, according to design and construction officials. The roughly 2.5 acres of the property for classrooms and administration being under one roof increases security and provides energy efficiency. The school will include a full-court gym and a multi-purpose room, both of which could be made available for public use after hours. In addition to parking areas and playground space, the site allows space for two full-size soccer fields.

Representatives from Erikson Hall Construction, PBK-WLC Architects, and Telacu Construction companies were in attendance to celebrate the occasion, along with Menifee Mayor Bill Zimmerman and City Council members Matt Liesemeyer and Bob Karwin. School board members Jackie Johansen, Xavier Padilla and Bob O’Donnell were present, as were members of the oversight committee for Measure Q – a school bond measure passed by voters in 2016 to support local schools.

“Today I want to thank each member of the community,” said Johansen. “Each time we get to open a school like this, we get to reflect and celebrate how far we’ve come as a city and a community and as a family. We represent such a diverse set of learners who trust us to help them realize their full potential."

Zimmerman also praised the project.

“We appreciate the district in looking for sites just like this," he said. "This is one of our very favorite neighborhoods and we tell developers coming to our city to bring new projects, to take a look at this new Audie Murphy Ranch development. We’ve set the bar high here; it’s a beautiful place. A lot of the families considering moving to Menifee and starting a young family are saying, ‘Our kids are going to be able to go to middle school right here.”

According to a statement posted on the district’s Facebook page, “During construction, MUSD will be reaching out to families who may be affected by potential boundary changes for their input. Meetings will be held with the community to gather additional input. After receiving communication from stakeholders, any adjustments needed will be made prior to the final vote by the Governing Board.”

The size of the Middle School 4 property is evident in this photo of the groundbreaking ceremony.