Breaking Ground

Breaking Ground

West Memphis School District draws crowd for special Jackson- Wonder Elementary School ceremony

WM School District The final stages of Phase II of the West Memphis School District's new construction projects began on Monday with the groundbreaking of the new Jackson- Wonder Elementary School.

When it is completed in May of 2020, the new 92,400 square foot building will house kindergarten through sixth-grade students from Jackson and Wonder elementary.

'Once this project is complete, our school district will have invested $59 million into our elementary school infrastructure,' said West Memphis superintendent Jon Collins. 'Right at half that amount came from a state facilities partnership program and state dollars.' On hand for the occasion included all members of the West Memphis School Board, economic development director Phillip Sorrell as well as state senator Keith Ingram and state representatives Milton Nicks and Deborah Ferguson.

'There is no greater need in our state and in our area of the state than to invest in the education of our young people,' Ingram stated.

'We're just excited about the new building and what it will be able to do for our teachers and students.'

The site of the new JWES building will be just a few

they just did not

yards west of the old L.R.

Jackson Elementary School, which was demolished just a few months ago.

Phase I of the WMSD's new buildings plan included a brand new Bragg Elementary School as well as new additions to elementary schools Faulk, Richland, Weaver and Maddux as well as an overhaul and upgrade to the entire district's electrical system to meet the needs of the digital age.

'All of these projects were completed without asking for any new tax increases,'

Collins added.

By Billy Woods