By Scott Harvey
Sulphur Springs – The ceremonial dirt has flown and the Sulphur Springs ISD has officially marked the beginning of construction on its new middle school.
More than 200 school administrators, civic leaders, community members and future middle school students attended Thursday morning's event.
Facilities Committee Chairman Ryan McKenzie thanked the voters for approving last year's $48.4 million bond.
"If you're here, as well as many other people, you all had a part in getting it passed and it passed pretty close," McKenzie said. "So anything you all did individually, and we called on a ton of people to help, that's what got it done. It took the whole community to make it happen."
School Board members, as well as future students took to the hard hats and shovels to initiate the breaking of ground.
The 161,300 square foot school, located just off the new Highway 11 bypass south of Sulphur Springs, will open during the 2011 school year for sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
The two-story facility features standard science lab and fine arts classrooms. Three student computer labs and a state of the art media center will take advantage of the latest technology.
"We're setting before this community an opportunity to produce people who will continue in the role that we have begun; and even prepare and give more through the development, the leadership and the spirit of these kids," said Carolyn Thomas, former school board member.
Also addressing the crowd Thursday was Board President Jacquelyn Brice.
"We believe that strong traditions have been built on past successes. And we believe that this new school is going to touch the lives of thousands of students."
The $48.4 million bond also covers four other projects, including construction of the High School's new Multi-purpose facility, already underway.
Other projects include renovating the current middle school so third and fourth graders can be moved from four elementary schools, finishing the track complex for track and soccer and building four classrooms on the Douglas Fifth Grade Campus.
Drawings of the new school plus pictures of the Multi-purpose building construction are available at www.ssisd.net.