Dedication ceremonies celebrate new McNutt and Peach Elementaries

The AISD dedicated its two newest elementaries – Sandy McNutt Elementary and Eddy and Debbie Peach Elementary – in January, with ceremonies and open houses.

The schools are part of the $661.3 million bond package passed in 2014. Both opened in August 2016.

McNutt Elementary
Sandy McNutt Elementary was dedicated Saturday, Jan. 21, in a ceremony that honored the school’s namesake and celebrated the school’s future impact on students.

Hundreds of people filled the cafetorium for the ceremony, with many others watching from the hall and in the gym where a live feed was projected on the wall. The McNutt family and former students and colleagues showered praise on Sandy McNutt.

Namesake Sandy McNutt with Principal Orsini at the McNutt Elementary dedication

Robert Windham, a former AISD principal who hired McNutt out of college for her first AISD teaching job, called McNutt the “best teacher and administrator in the world.” Chad Conn, a former fourth grade student in McNutt’s class in the 1980s, called her his “sunshine.” Everyone who spoke highlighted McNutt’s smile, relentless positivity and lasting impact on literally thousands of people, from her schools, church, family and community.

After the ceremony, cake was served and teachers opened their classrooms for tours. The Sam Houston High School drumline and cheerleaders performed on the learning stair, while mascots, including the McNutt Mountain Lion, Rowdy from the Dallas Cowboys, Captain from the Texas Rangers and Clifford the Big Red Dog, entertained the children.

The 112,000 square-foot school, next door to Workman Junior High, has a 900-student capacity with 44 general classrooms, eight collaborative areas, two STEM labs, art room, strings room, music room, parent room and media room. It also has two playgrounds, one for younger students and one for older.

McNutt Elementary was designed by Corgan Architects and constructed under the management of Balfour Beatty Construction.

Peach Elementary
Hundreds of people filled the Peach Elementary cafetorium Saturday, Jan. 28, for a school dedication ceremony that honored the school’s namesakes and celebrated a new building that will serve the Arlington community for years to come.

Throughout the ceremony, Peach family and former colleagues spoke of the lasting impact Eddy and Debbie Peach have had on their lives. The Peaches are truly worthy namesakes with a combined 81 years of service in the AISD. Debbie, an English teacher, won Teacher of the Year awards at the elementary, junior high and high school levels. Eddy was Lamar High School's first football coach and the first coach in Texas to win 300 games at the Class 5A level.

The Voices of Peach choir opened and closed the ceremony and Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams presented a city proclamation declaring Jan. 28, 2017, as Eddy and Debbie Peach Day.

Peaches pose for a photo at the Peach Elementary dedication

After the ceremony, cake was served and teachers opened their classrooms for tours.

The 122,000 square-foot school in north Arlington has a 900-student capacity with 46 core classrooms, collaborative areas for each grade, two STEM labs, art room, strings room, music room, media center and two playgrounds, one for younger students and one for older. The building also includes a 7,000 square-foot Boys and Girls Club.

Peach was designed by Perkins + Will Architects and constructed under the management of Balfour Beatty Construction.