Trustees approve school addition: Emerson Elementary building 4 new classrooms

Seymour Community Schools officials hope to be able to move into a four-classroom addition at Emerson Elementary School by next Christmas.

Trustees approved a recommendation Tuesday from interim Superintendent Bob Hooker to hire Kovert Hawkins Architects of Jeffersonville to design the $1.3 million project as well as look at several other facility needs administrators have identified throughout the corporation.

Hooker said the Emerson project will not exceed $1.3 million and will be paid for through the district’s capital projects fund.

“The money is available, so we will not be borrowing money,” he said.

Although the school board will have final say on what the addition will look like, Hooker said he plans to have Kovert Hawkins meet with parents and teachers to get their input on the project.

“It’s always good to talk to those who will actually be using that space,” he said.

Jenny Cooley, who has a daughter in first grade at the school, said the project is long overdue.

“It’s definitely money well spent,” she said. “The kids deserve it and the teachers need it. Overcrowding has been a problem the last few years.”

Angie Eckstein, who worked at Emerson for seven years, agreed.

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