Present for the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of what will be the new Syracuse Elementary School were, from left, Steve Fetters and George Mourchaham of Fetters Construction, Brian Bohlender (Barton-Coe-Vilamaa), Jim Evans (WCSC director of finance), Kari Vilamaa (Barton-Coe-Vilamaa), Mike Wilson (Wawasee school board), Rebecca Linnemeier (Wawasee school board president), Rob Fisher (Wawasee school board), Mary Lou Dixon (Wawasee school board), Dr. Tom Edington (WCSC superintendent) and Eric Speicher, Syracuse Elementary principal.

SYRACUSE — It’s becoming more than something discussed in a meeting or architectural drawings. One can drive by on Kern Road just south of the Eagles building and see the beginning stages of a new school being built.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the official groundbreaking ceremony was held for what will become the new Syracuse Elementary School. It is just west of the high school campus across Kern Road. Some of the earth work at the site has been in progress for more than a week.

During the brief ceremony attended by school administrators and staff from the current Syracuse Elementary, officials from Fetters Construction and architectural firm Barton-Coe-Vilamaa and others, a few comments were made by Rebecca Linnemeier, Wawasee school board president, and Eric Speicher, Syracuse Elementary principal. Speicher noted it has taken quite a bit of work just to get to the beginning stages of construction and he thanked Barton-Coe-Vilamaa, Fetters Construction and the school board for their efforts and cooperation.

Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee Community School Corp. superintendent, said because of the tax rate the timing was right for a new building and it should be one that will last for several years.

There were a few posed group photos taken with the sign announcing the coming of the school used as a background.

Fetters Construction was awarded the construction bid earlier this year. A projected timeline has the new school being opened by the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.