Meadow View Elementary School pushes back opening date

Following extensive review of the impact of spring rain on the construction timeline at Meadow View Elementary School, the School Board of Henry County determined today that the school will open to students in August 2018.

“The January 2018 opening date was part of the original construction timeline, but the amount of rain that fell on the site during the months of April and May - a total of approximately 16 inches – dramatically impacted the ability to complete site work as planned. Unless the weather is perfect from here until December, the schedule would be too tight for a January opening,” said Keith Scott, Director of Facilities Maintenance.

During the discussion of the opening date for the school, Board members cited advantages to a fall opening, including thorough commissioning of the building prior to occupation, adequate time for the contractor to fix “punch list” items without students being in the building, and additional time for teacher transitioning as classrooms are packed for moving from Collinsville Primary and John Redd Smith Elementary Schools.

“Our focus is always on what will best meet the needs of students. In addition to ensuring the total completion of the building, a fall opening will allow additional time for concrete planning regarding bus routes and teacher transitions, as well as give the students and parents time to visit the school and become comfortable with the layout before beginning classes there in the fall. We look forward to hosting events in the space this spring and providing time for the teachers to collaborate to make the opening one that will be exciting and memorable for the entire school community," said Dr. Jared Cotton, Division Superintendent.