Crestview Elementary construction races to finish line

It will be down to the wire this weekend as construction crews continue working, trying to prepare Springfield’s new $17.8 million Crestview Elementary School for opening in time for the school bell’s first ring on Tuesday morning.

“In my 28 years as a superintendent of schools, this is my 15th facility constructed,” Schools Director Mike Davis said in an interview while touring the building on Thursday. “I’ve never had one come this close.”

The 51 new teachers and staff members are scheduled to enter the two-story, nearly 120,000-square-foot building for the first time on Sunday, Aug. 2.

Principal Lori Smith said she’s anxious to begin the school year and meet all the students.

“We have 730 enrolled right now,” Smith said. “I feel very blessed the district brought me in. We were able to get the staff together from within the district prior to school ending for the summer, which helped.”

Davis said the school day is scheduled to begin on time Tuesday, Aug. 4, and regrets the project not being completely done prior to the beginning of the school year.

“Between the winter weather and the rainy spring, we lost 68 construction days,” Davis said. “We have two state inspectors here today and plan to be ready for occupancy.”

Smith said the playground may not be completely done on opening day, but will be in use in a few days.

The school gymnasium will be finished after the floor cures, a few weeks after school begins, Davis said.

While most of the inside work will be done on time, Davis said the landscaping and grass surrounding the school will be completed in the fall.

Smith has hired two assistant principals, Justin Usery and Kim Cassetty, to join her administrative staff at Crestview Elementary School.

“All of our teachers have been working on their classrooms at the district’s teacher center,” Smith said. “We’re all anxious and excited to start the school year.”

The scheduled Aug. 3 Open House at Crestview Elementary School, located at 1160 Jaden Gavin Drive, off of William A. Batson Parkway, is only for students and their parents, for a chance for students to meet their child’s teacher, according to Davis, who said the public open house will be rescheduled sometime this fall.