Jefferson County (Ky.) district breaks ground on elementary school

The Jefferson County (Ky.) district has broken ground on a $17 million elementary school in Louisville that will replace two aging schools.

WDRB-TV reports that 82,000-square-foot campus, which for now is called the Dixie Corridor Area Elementary School, is being constructed on a large tract of land behind the aging Wilkerson Elementary.

 Wilkerson is 60 years old and has poor windows, poor air circulation, mold and antiquated works spaces.

The new school will house students from Wilkerson Elementary as well as Watson Lane Elementary, around 700 students in all. Watson Lane will close.

The replacement school will feature two stories of classrooms, art, computer and media rooms plus plenty of open spaces for collaborative learning and outdoor classes. The gym also will serve as a tornado shelter, and the building will have energy efficient features including windows, lighting, plumbing and geothermal heating and cooling.

Superintendent Marty Pollio says only five school buildings have been built in south Louisville in a half century. The district is building four schools, but it needs 40 new facilities.

"We should be embarrassed by that as a community," Pollio says. "This lack of investment is in every corner of this community."

says the JCPS property tax hike that's on the ballot would help make that possible. "Kids deserve to have buildings like this, like they do in other counties. We've got to step up," Dr. Pollio said.

Video of the the groundbreaking ceremony: