The roar of jets thundered overhead as Hanford resident Sonya Diane Jones finished her rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" in a moment that was undeniably moving.

Wednesday morning marked the seventh day of operation for Hanford's newest education site, Frontier School. Students and staff joined several members of the community in Frontier's amphitheater for a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony.

"There is only one word for that, and that's wow," said Diane Cox, superintendent of Pioneer Union Elementary School District, following the national anthem and flyover by two F-18 Super Hornets from Lemoore Naval Air Station.

Cox introduced and thanked several ceremony attendees who had a hand in the new school's completion, including Joe Camara, contractor Dave Bush and his staff, architect Michael Tellian and his staff, John Zumwalt, Tom Barton, district trustees, the district's parent advisory and boundary committee, the bond oversight committee and several employees of the City of Hanford. Cox also extended gratitude to Hanford City Council members for annexing Frontier into the city limits.

"Not only did they promise that this project would be completed on time -- they delivered," Cox said of Bush and his staff members, who completed the construction of Frontier in 14 months.

Doug Wisecarver, district board president, thanked community residents for voting to pass Measure P on Nov. 1, 2005. The total project cost just over $19 million and stands on 70,318 square feet. In its second week, Frontier is made up of 21 teachers, 17 classified staff members, one principal and 402 students between kindergarten and fifth grade.

Principal John Raven said the staff took a "leap of faith" in coming to a new school, but have not complained in the face of sprinklers popping on at inopportune times or manure being spread in the fields next door on the day before school began.

"We enter this year on uncharted ground," Raven said.

Following the speeches Wednesday, Frontier's kindergarten students provided entertainment, leading the student body in a song.

"We're a brand new school and we think that it's cool, 'cuz we're part of a new frontier," the children sang to the tune of "You're A Grand Old Flag." "Stand up straight and celebrate, we're the Mustangs of Frontier School."

Cheers erupted from the students as Cox pulled out a large pair of scissors to cut the red ceremonial ribbon. Following the ceremony, students led attendees on tours of the campus, as they enjoyed glasses of Mustang Mist.

Cox said the district had come a long way from the original Pioneer school house built in 1870, to becoming the first charter school district in California in 1993, to serving 1,639 students on three campuses.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2424.

(Aug. 28, 2008)