Our School

When Sandy Slope Elementary School opens in the fall of 2025 on the north side of Appleton, it will be our first new school in 30 years and our first new elementary school in nearly 35 years.

Our district places immense value on neighborhood elementary schools, and we are thrilled to add a school to this part of our community.

History of the Sandy Slope Name

Twenty-four years ago, the AASD acquired a 42-acre parcel of land from Rich and Alice Van Handel near Appleton North High School. This forward-thinking move by our district was in anticipation of the growth we now witness in the northeastern part of our district. They envisioned the need for an elementary school on this land to accommodate the expanding community.

This area once had a small, rural school called Sandy Slope, and the Van Handel’s farm was also known as Sandy Slope Farm. 

Sandy Slope Elementary’s groundbreaking was held on October 16, 2023. We were thrilled to kick off the construction of our newest school with the community and the Van Handel family in attendance.

To honor the farm's history, the Van Handel farm’s silo will be preserved as a part of the new school campus.

What will Sandy Slope look like?

The two-story building will have classrooms organized into grade-level “pods.” Each pod will have dedicated entrances from the playgrounds, locker space, and small flex rooms for individual or small group learning. 

The design of the school centers around creating a self-contained learning “collaborative neighborhood” for each grade level, with classrooms organized around a central flexible extended learning area and including locker areas, breakout spaces, restrooms, and teacher support.

Natural light, security, and energy efficiency are also primary considerations of the design, with abundant windows and a highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. The exterior will consist of brick, burnished colored masonry, and metal panels, and inclusive playgrounds will be situated around the rear of the school, accessible from the collaboration neighborhoods.

The school will have a gymnasium with full-size basketball court and a commons/cafeteria in the heart of the building. Additional specialized spaces include a Library/Media Center (LMC), general music room, band/strings music room, art and STEM spaces, a sensory gym, and special education classrooms throughout the facility.

What is the Sandy Slope mascot?

The Lightning Bug, also known as a firefly, has been chosen as the mascot for Sandy Slope Elementary to represent the school’s bright future and deep ties to its local heritage and community. Their gentle light has long inspired wonder and joy, particularly in the areas surrounding our school’s location. The mascot serves as a glowing homage to the land’s past while shining brightly toward the future.

The Lightning Bug symbolizes more than natural beauty—it embodies the school’s mission to help students shine brightly. Their glow reminds us of the importance of curiosity and discovery—values central to the learning experience at Sandy Slope Elementary. The Lightning Bug mascot embodies the glow of learning, the light of community, and the spark of curiosity that will define Sandy Slope Elementary.