Meeker Elementary Breaks Ground Monday

MEDIA RELEASE

AMES–The Ames Community School District is encouraging students and their families to create a memory at the groundbreaking for the new Meeker Elementary School building. Students will be invited to dig in with child-safe shovels after school and community leaders make the first ceremonial cuts into the soil.

The event marks the beginning of site preparation, such as grading, that needs to be finished this fall. The Board on Monday, Oct. 7 awarded contracts for the site work package and for relocating the Hoggatt School to Woodruff Construction, LLC.

Superintendent Tim Taylor said watching work begin on each of the five elementary school projects makes all the years of planning worth it.

“Seeing the earth begin to move on a site where a new learning environment will be erected for our students is a tangible sign that we’re moving forward,” Taylors said. “I’m looking forward to sharing this moment at Meeker with the community members who continue to support Ames Schools, but I’m especially hoping it’s something the students will participate in and remember for the rest of their lives.”

Meeker Elementary School is second in line to get a new building as part of the district’s plan to upgrade all five elementary schools with funds from a $55 million school bond referendum that residents approved in 2012. The new building is scheduled to open in August, 2015.