On Feb. 4, 2025, the Litchfield Elementary School District #79 (LESD79) Governing Board officially approved the name Troy Gilbert Elementary School for the district’s 17th school, set to open in Fall 2026 at Perryville Road and Glendale Avenue. The new school will serve families in the surrounding neighborhoods and honor a local hero and his legacy.

The school is named in honor of Major Troy Gilbert, a U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot stationed at Luke Air Force Base, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country on November 27, 2006, during a mission near Baghdad, Iraq. Beyond his distinguished military service, Major Gilbert was a devoted father of five and an engaged member of our local community. His two oldest children attended our very own school, Corte Sierra Elementary School. 

The name was selected through the district’s school naming process, which incorporated community input and discussions by district leadership. Now that the name has been approved, LESD79 will begin the process for developing and considering the school’s mascot and colors. Details on how to participate in this process will be shared soon.We look forward to sharing more updates as we prepare for the groundbreaking later this spring.

For construction updates and ongoing progress on the new school, please continue to visit our website at bit.ly/TroyGilbertEl.