Lewis-Palmer D-38 administrators, staff members, students and family members gathered Thursday afternoon to break ground on the newest addition to the school district. The future Home School Enrichment Academy (HSEA), which will house the school district’s specialized programming for homeschool ing families in grades K-12, is on track to begin and complete construction just in time for the 2026-27 school year. The new building will be adjacent to the school district’s administration building at 146 N. Jefferson St. and replace its previous location at the Grace Best Education Center, which is slated for demolition after reaching the end of its structural life. The structure will utilize a modular pod structure and feature seven classrooms, an art room, a science room, offices and a multipurpose room, the latter of which D-38 Superintendent Amber Whetstine noted that “many” homeschooling families viewed as “essential.” “When we made the decision to move forward with a new facility for the program, we began by listening and having conversations with our homeschool staff and families,” she told the crowd.  “Your insight guided our process and helped us determine the best solutions for our students and our community.” HSEA Principal Julie Jadomski called the incoming space an “investment.” “Because this building will bring lots of opportunities like clubs, growth (and) we can have robotics,” she said. “It’s more than walls and it’s more than a space. It represents collaboration, resilience and shared purpose.” Architectural rendering of the future Home School Enrichment Academy in Monument. (Courtesy of Lewis-Palmer D-38, Wells West General Contractors and Compass Architecture) Student counts from the past fall had HSEA’s enrollment at about 100 students. During the D-38 Board of Education’s regular meeting on Jan. 26, Melissa Andrews, the district’s director of planning, facilities and grounds, provided an update to the board, saying the final building plans for the center were approved by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs in late December. She also said the district was awarded a matching grant for a new playground worth over $46,500. This installation, along with sewer, water and gas, is slated to start in early March. An updated construction plan approved in June 2025 estimated the costs totaling just under $3 million. D-38 anticipates the general contract work to begin in February, with the foundation to be put in place in April and final inspections occurring in late July. The goal is for the new facility to be ready for the start of the 2026-27 school year. The HSEA is currently housed at the Grace Best Center, which was originally scheduled for demolition this winter. Because there were delays with the DOLA approval, students will finish the year at the current facility before its demolition next winter. “As far as opening in time for school next year, there should be no reason that we don’t meet that deadline,” Andrews told the board. ...read more read less