TONALEA, Ariz. — Progress continues on the Tonalea Day School Replacement Project, a major investment that will deliver a modern learning environment for students and families in the community.
During a recent site visit, Tonalea Day School Principal Cheryl Kaye led a tour of the existing school and shared updates on the project’s progress. Federal officials and project staff also visited the site to review construction milestones and receive a closer look at the work underway.
Those in attendance included Gabriel Draper of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Facilities, Property and Safety Management; Jason Bruno, BIA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management; Gary Mosesman, BIA Division Chief of the Division of Facilities Management and Construction; Sharon Pinto, BIA Deputy Bureau Director; and Dr. Edie Morris, Education Program Administrator for the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
Located on the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, approximately 22 miles northeast of Tuba City, Ariz., Tonalea Day School serves students from surrounding communities, including Red Lake, Tonalea, Cow Springs, Road Going Uphill, Kaibeto, Shonto, Inscription House, Middle Mesa, and Wildcat Peak.
Originally established as Red Lake Day School in 1958 and opened in 1959, serving kindergarten through second grade, the school expanded over time as enrollment grew. By the 1985–1986 academic year, Tonalea Day School had grown to serve students through the eighth grade.
Originally approved in 2015, the replacement project will provide a full K–8 campus replacement that includes a new school facility, six staff housing units, and a new bus barn and support building. The project is replacing aging infrastructure while modernizing the educational environment and expanding staff housing capacity to better support teacher retention and school operations.
Construction is progressing steadily across all major components. The bus barn and maintenance building are nearing completion, while the three two-bedroom staff housing units are currently in drywall and interior construction. The remaining three three-bedroom housing units will begin once the existing school is demolished and the site becomes available.
On the main campus, the full perimeter of the new school is now visible with footings in place, and the gymnasium is beginning to rise vertically, marking an important milestone as the project moves from foundation work into structural construction.
The project consists of an approximately 68,520-square-foot K–8 school replacement serving 224 students, along with housing, utility, and infrastructure updates. The total project cost is approximately $73 million, and construction is currently about 33 percent complete.
The replacement project has also created meaningful economic opportunities for Navajo workers and local families. More than 450 local applicants have been employed on the project in accordance with the Navajo Preference in Employment Act.
With continued coordination among school leadership, federal partners, and project teams, the Tonalea Day School Replacement Project remains on a strong path forward and is expected to be completed in July 2028.
