Poplar Bluff School District breaks ground on kindergarten center

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.--While construction workers prepared to pour footings for the new kindergarten center, school officials and community leaders participated in a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday.

"Steel will be delivered in June. People will be amazed how large the building will be," Poplar Bluff School District Superintendent Ernie Lawson said.

The 60,000-square foot building will have the capacity for more than 500 students. It is being built on the elevated area north of Cripple Creek Plaza along Highway PP.

"Poplar Bluff is going to grow. We planned for far down the road. The building will have to last for years," Lawson said.

He expects the $6.4 million structure to be completed in late January or early February of 2011.

"We are excited and are looking forward to when the kids move into the building," Lawson said.

He thanked everyone in the schools and in the community for all their work to get a bond issue passed to finance the kindergarten center.

"This is a dream come true," Lawson said as he commended parents, teachers, school board members and administrators. "It has been a long road to get here today."

Lawson said former superintendent Randy Winston told him, "I will get the bond issue passed and you can build the school."

"It took us four years to get it passed," said Lawson, who wanted to have the school finished before he retired on June 30. Now, it will be up to the new superintendent, Chris Hon, to see the project is completed.

"I am very excited," Hon said. "It will be fun to watch it being built and to put the kids in the new classrooms. The new school will be another selling point for Poplar Bluff."

President Gary Simmons was among the school board members participating in the groundbreaking ceremony.

"This truly is a great day for the kids of Poplar Bluff and the community," Simmons said. "This will be a building all the community can be proud of and a wonderful facility for the children to start their education."