06-05-2025
New school planned for Lodi's growing west side
( — An empty 11.5-acre lot at Vine Street and Westgate Drive in Lodi may soon transform into a new school following years of community demand and growing populations in the Lodi Unified School District.
District officials say the new school, which is still in the planning stages, will be named Samuel M. Gantner Elementary School.
Gantner, a Lodi native considered a hometown war hero, fought and died during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
'Like many of our parents, we are anxious to get this school built,' said Lodi Unified Superintendent Neil Young.
The school, Young said, will be built to accommodate the growing number of students on the city's west side.
'Several of our campuses on the west side continue to grow and the number of students is greater than the capacity of the school,' Young said. 'So that we can balance out our schools and make sure we have enough space for all students in our district, that's why the board has decided to move forward with building that school.'
The school is planned to serve K-6 students with the flexibility to expand to 7th and possibly 8th grade if needed. In total, the campus would accommodate up to 850 students.
'Safety will be a number one priority for our families and our students, but we also want to look at the flexibility of the spaces that we have, whether they are outdoor spaces that are covered or indoor classrooms, so students have the room to move around,' Young said.
The Samuel M. Gantner campus is one of two schools the district is planning to build. The design and structure of Gantner would serve as an example for a future school in Stockton.
'As we build Gantner, it'll give us a model of what we can build on the west side of Stockton,' Young said.
The school board is scheduled to discuss educational specifications during a public meeting on Tuesday to finalize how the project would move forward.
Once plans are set, Young says the district would move next into the architectural design phase.
If plans stay on track, the district estimates the school could be up and running in the next three years. Young says the new school would mean opportunities for new jobs, and opportunities for staff and students to move around.
District officials say they will be working closely with the county and the city to ensure the new school is a fit for the surrounding community.
The Board of Education meeting will take place at 7 pm at 1305 E. Vine Street.
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