The Newton School Board has approved the construction documents for the addition and renovation at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.  The action came during last night’s school board meeting, and following a presentation from Rachelle Hines of FRK Architect and Engineers of West Des Moines. She’s the lead on the project, and says bids for the work will be sought on September 26th, with the Board of Education hopefully awarding the construction contract on September 30th. She also says the project will now be completed over two summers, to make it more convenient for students.

“We feel like that’s going to give the contractor the best opportunity to get it done and not be moving kids out of their classroom mid-year. I don’t think we want to do that. I think this is the best approach and more favorable to the contractors as well.”

The renovation and addition that is going to be built onto the elementary school on Newton’s west side, is part of the overall plan to move the district to using only two elementary buildings. Last year there were four : This year there are three being used. An addition and renovation is also going to occur at Aurora Heights Elementary in the near future. Hear more about this project on tomorrow’s Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Let’s Talk Newton.