A safe space for students to learn in Roll, Arizona

A white building with a red tile roof and an archway that says Mohawk Valley School
Dept of Administration
Problem Statement

Built in 1930, Mohawk Valley Elementary School in Yuma County needed major renovation. The school in Roll, Arizona, about 50 miles east of Yuma, is registered as a national and state historic building, which makes renovation projects more complex. Before the renovation, students couldn’t safely drink from the water fountains or wash their hands with the building’s water.

Action Taken

The School Facilities Division worked closely with the Mohawk Valley School District to complete a full renovation of the campus. The Division awarded more than $10.5 million in building renewal grants toward this renovation, which included:

  • An addition of a water treatment plant, allowing students to attend a school with new building systems and drinkable water
  • A remodeled kitchen and cafeteria
  • Upgraded lighting
  • New bathrooms
  • Renovated classrooms
  • A new HVAC for the gym
  • New roofing
  • And more
Results & Impact

The impact is a completely renovated rural school for students, staff and the community as a result of a streamlined process and support for district project management.

The Mohawk Valley Elementary School Ribbon cutting ceremony was held in August 2023, when students and staff celebrated the start of their first school year in their new learning environment.

The School Facilities Division pioneered a complete renovation of an existing school working with the complexities of a historic building status in this effort, providing more equitable education access to children in rural Arizona. The overall renovation took two years. Division staff supported the district in securing multifaceted bids, project management and more. 

“All of these projects would never have been possible without the partnership between our community, trusting in me, and trusting in us and the School Facilities Board partnering up and providing the funds and providing the expertise … to make sure that this all comes true for our students. That in the end [more than] $10 million came to this little, tiny school with 155 students out here in the middle of nowhere. Somebody recognized that even the children out in rural Arizona deserve the best opportunity possible.” 

—Shanna Johnson, Mohawk Valley School District Administrator