Valle Crucis Whole Again with Opening of New K-8 School

The front of the New Valle Crucis School, soon before its opening. Photo credits: April Vance

Ian Biles, Staff Writer for the Powderhorn

Valle Crucis School students are finally reunited in one building. The new Valle Crucis school, opened October 22, 2025, ends a year-long period of separated education caused by flooding from Hurricane Helene.  The damage forced middle, elementary, and kindergarten students to relocate to temporary school sites.  The middle school students took up residence at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Boone Campus, thanks to a generous donation of space from the college.  Elementary students moved into the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis and the Valle Crucis Conference Center thanks to contributions from community members.  Now, with the long-awaited opening of the new Valle Crucis School, all students are finally learning together under one roof.

Dr. Bonnie Smith, Principal of Valle Crucis School, focuses on the Valle Crucis community. Smith praised the residents and organizations of Valle Crucis for rallying together in the face of adversity. 

“We had so many people who made monetary donations to our Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO),” said Smith. “Of course, we also had those community partners who let us use their spaces, that was a big thing, that they wanted us to use those spaces and welcomed us.”

As principal, Smith faced significant challenges navigating the complex and new environment created by these drastic changes. In facing these obstacles, Smith once again emphasized the importance of leaning on their community. 

“What I learned during this whole process was the importance of having trust in relationships,” said Smith. “Because that’s really what it’s all about.”

With the new school comes new beginnings and opportunities. Designed by Clark Nexsen and his Asheville-based firm, the school is a stunning piece of architecture. The school includes a brand new gym and basketball court, a playground, and an outdoor enrichment area for students. David Shack, the 7/8th grade science teacher at Valle Crucis, is most excited about another new part of the school.

“I have a lab!” said Shack. “I went from having no spaces that were mine to having two amazing spaces that I can use.”

Shack, known for his hands-on teaching style, incorporates outside labs and lots of movement into his lessons. At the old school, Shack frequently used Dutch Creek, the creek located behind the previous Valle Crucis school.  During the period when the schools were separated,  Shack was moved to CCC&TI with the middle school students, where he lacked the space to teach in his traditional manner.

“The hardest part of the transition to Caldwell for me was not having my own space,” said Shack. “I am not the kind of person who is going to do anything to mess up anyone's space, so that was difficult, not having my own materials in my own space.” 

Shack described the feeling of being in a new school as joy.  According to both Shack and Smith, that same joy can be felt throughout the building in the attitudes and energy of students and staff.  

“It’s a sense of calm, a breath of fresh air,” said Smith. “ We picked up right where we left off, except now in a school building. There’s a lot of gratitude, staff and students have been very excited, very grateful. Over the last year, everybody worked so hard, and it's good to be back to what school should be in this new building.”