TIPP CITY — Bethel Local School leaders are breaking ground on a new kindergarten through fifth-grade building.
In less than two years, the new $25 million kindergarten through fifth-grade school will be built, along with a $3.5 million athletic stadium.
Bethel’s superintendent Justin Firks said the new building is needed due to the amount of growth the district has seen in the past few years.
It’s the 4th fastest growing district in the state, adding around 130 to 140 students in first through 12th grade every year.
“For a long time, it was considered that small rural school, we probably had about 65-70 kids in a grade, 6 years later in 2021, we’re pushing 1800 students,” said Firks.
Due to the recent growth of 5th graders, they have been learning in modular classrooms behind the school.
The growth is due to the area’s booming development, according to Firks.
Just south of the school is the Carriage Trails Community, where a thousand homes have been built and another 600 homes could be going up nearby.
Firks said they’re going all out for the new additions. The stadium will include an all-weather track and seat around 2,000 people.
The new school will not only have enough room to house their current elementary kids, but they will also be big enough for future growth, with the max capacity being 1,000 students.
“We really feel strongly not only about the modern facilities but the upgrade in technology, stem learning and making spaces for kids to collaborate and critically think, and it’s just going to be nice not to have max capacity classrooms,” Firks tells News Center 7.
The district is looking at potentially building another school as well in the not-so-distant future.
The plan is to have the elementary school ready to go in fall of 2023
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