Sonora Elementary Debuts New Gymnasium

Sonora, CA — A ribbon-cutting was held Monday to celebrate the opening of a new $5-million gymnasium at Sonora Elementary School.

The 6,500 square-foot facility is designed to expand opportunities for students, athletes, and the broader school community. Click here to view an earlier story about the project’s construction.

The new gym features a ticket booth, a 22-foot ceiling (designed for volleyball), a wood floor built to enhance athletic performance/safety, dedicated restrooms in the lower recess area, and solar panels to offset energy usage.

The existing gym/multipurpose room, located on the upper level of campus, will continue to serve as a cafeteria.

“This gym is more than just a building-it’s a dream realized,” says Superintendent Cheryl Griffiths. It gives our students a place to learn, compete, and thrive while also improving the overall campus experience. Having a dedicated space for PE and sports frees up our multipurpose room to better serve daily meal needs, assemblies, and performances.”

To fund the project, Sonora Elementary received around $6.3 million in reimbursements from the California Office of Public School Construction. The money was restricted to facility improvements and could not be redirected to non-facility needs. Before moving forward with construction, the school board held facilities workshops to review options and gather input on the best use of the funds.

Monday’s grand opening was a student-focused celebration, and community members will have a chance to come check it out at various upcoming events. They include upcoming girls’ basketball games, the annual Rapp’s Run on September 17, and a September 26 Jog-A-Thon and Community Open House.