Graphite Construction Group will be building the addition and doing renovations at Newton’s Aurora Heights Elementary School. With a unanimous vote last night, the Newton School Board approved the Des Moines company’s low bid of $12,895,000. That is well below the project’s estimated cost of $14.5 million. Aurora Heights and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools are being equipped to handle up to 500 pre-kindergarten through 4th grade students. Thomas Jefferson’s addition and renovations will cost $5,378,349. That low bid was accepted last month from Bi-State Contracting in Burlington. The Newton School District is transitioning from four elementary schools to two in the fall of 2026, due to a continual decline in enrollment. School Board President Robyn Friedman notes this year’s enrollment has been no different.

“Not that it’s a positive thing. But it validates all of our transition conversations last year and why we are moving forward with it. Overall, our enrollment is still trending negative.”

According to Newton School Superintendent Tom Messenger, the District’s Certified enrollment is down 67 students from last year. Also last night, the Newton Board of Education held lengthy discussions about adding an elevator at the high school and how to better address ADA requirements at H.A. Lynn Stadium, but no action was taken.