The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Harrison Elementary School was held on Friday, May 10 at 1 p.m. on the new school property on Highway 58 across from the existing school. The school entrance will be on Ferdinand Piech Way.
Speakers at the event included Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, Hamilton County Commissioner Katherlyn Geter; Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools; Karitsa Jones, Hamilton County Board of Education representative for District 5; and Heather Kuffrey a parent from the Harrison community.
Harrison Elementary School is a major project in the $125 million building plan approved by the Hamilton County Board of Education in October 2017. The Hamilton County Commission approved funding for Harrison Elementary and other district building projects to address school facility needs earlier in 2017.
The new Harrison Elementary will have 80 classrooms, age-appropriate playgrounds for different age groups at the school, a gym, and makerspaces for children to use classroom skills learned in STEM lessons. Makerspaces allow children to work in groups and use concepts from science, technology, engineering, and math to share ideas and unleash their creativity.
The completed new Harrison Elementary will provide space for up to 880 students and is being designed by Franklin Architects. Harrison Elementary School is in the Harrison Bay Learning Community.
Photo: Harrison Elementary students turn shovels of dirt for their new school