Rome – In a little more than a month, Fairland School District residents will be able to see their tax dollars at work.

Monday, April 10, 2000

Rome – In a little more than a month, Fairland School District residents will be able to see their tax dollars at work. Fairland superintendent Jerry McConnell will ask school board members to approve May 16 as the date for official groundbreaking of a new district high school at tonight’s regular April meeting.

"We’re looking forward to something taking place," McConnell said. "We’ve spent well over a year planning and making preparations. It’s really much more exciting to see this take place."

Area residents approved a 4.01-mill property tax levy in November 1998 to supply about $4 million in local funds for the new school project. The state will supply about $27 million for the project.

The funds will be used to build a new high school, as well as to make renovations and additions to the district’s current three schools, McConnell said.

The new school will be the first construction to begin, he added.

"Our goal is to have the present sophomore class enter the new building prior to Dec. 1, 2001," McConnell said. "We think we can meet that goal."

Work should begin on two elementary school additions – a new media center and gymnasium – this summer, McConnell said.

"It looks like we’ll be showing some real productivity soon," he said.

The second phase of the project will begin in the fall when architects begin the designing the renovations to the current middle school and high school, McConnell said.

Fairland school officials have worked hard to get the community involved in all phases of construction. And response has been good, McConnell said.

The entire district should be proud of the new school and renovations, he added.

"I think they’ll be pleased," he said. "We’re adding a fourth school, which is unlike other districts. This will really relieve a lot of the overcrowding we have."

Once the new schools are complete, the current Fairland East Elementary School will house kindergarten through second-grade students; the current Fairland West Middle School will house third- through fifth-grade students and be named Fairland West Elementary School; the current Fairland High School will house sixth- through eighth-grade students and be named Fairland Middle School; and the new high school will house the remaining ninth- through 12th-grade students.

The Fairland Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Fairland East Elementary School gymnasium.