Walker County Schools officials, contractors and local dignitaries gather for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Saddle Ridge K-8 school in Rock Spring. From left are Don Freeman, general contractor for Rentenbach; Pat Neuhoff, Neuhoff Taylor Architects; Craig Davoulas, Walker County Schools superintendent; James A. Smith, Walker County Board of Education; Patty Hart, Walker County Board of Education chairwoman; Mike Carruth, Walker County Board of Education; Phyllis Hunter, Walker County Board of Education vice chairwoman; Susan Wells, Walker County Board of Education member; state Rep. Jay Neal, R-LaFayette; Damon Raines, incoming Walker County Schools superintendent; and Chris Jones, Walker County Schools director of facilities and operations.
Photo by Timara FrassrandWalker County is getting a new K-8 campus. To be named Saddle Ridge, ground was broken for the facility April 24.
The 100-acre Saddle Ridge school site is located between U.S. Highway 27 and Arnold Road in the Rock Spring community. The location will be the future home to the elementary, middle and high school educational complex.
"It's going to be a great asset to our community," said Elaine Womack, Walker County Schools publications coordinator. "We've really needed something like this for a long time."
The projected cost for the completed complex is $16.5 million and will be funded through the Education Special Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) revenue and state capital outlay funds for the purpose of construction.
In preparation for the estimated 700 students the school will serve, the facility will be 115,000 square feet and include more than 40 instructional units.
The Saddle Ridge mascot will be the Mustangs and the school is scheduled to open in fall 2013.