Exterior walls are going up for the addition to Thomas Jefferson Elementary school in Newton. The general contractor on the nearly $5.5 million project, Bi-State Contracting of West Burlington, had another construction progress meeting with Newton school officials late this week. Because of colder temperatures, temporary shelters surround the scaffolding for the concrete block work. The sheltering allows the mortar to set. Placement of footings for the foundation was completed in early December to allow work on the exterior walls to begin. 

The Newton School District is scheduled to get the next construction update on the $129 million  addition and renovation project at Aurora Heights Elementary February 12th. Graphite Construction Group of Des Moines is doing that work. The two elementary schools are getting additions and renovations so the Newton school district can transition from four to two elementary schools, due to a longstanding trend of declining enrollment. When the projects are done, both schools will be capable of handling up to 500 pre-kindergarten through 4th grade students. The District’s two other elementary schools, Emerson Hough and Woodrow Wilson, are scheduled to close after the 2025-2026 school year.