South Edmonson Elementary School Gets Ready For The Future With Groundbreaking Ceremony

Edmonson County School District Board breaks ground for new construction at South Edmonson Elementary School Saturday June 14 in Smiths Grove.

​Story and photos by Joseph Barkoff:
Edmonson County is growing.
 
Edmonson County is also preparing for their growth and future, starting with their kids.
 
South Edmonson County Elementary School on Chalybeate School Rd. broke ground Saturday, June 14th as one thing in preparation of things to come.
 
“We’re adding classrooms in the back and restrooms upstairs and downstairs in the back,” Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander said before the groundbreaking ceremony.
 
They are expanding the media center of the library and redoing the roof in a couple of spots as well as expanding the parking lot area, Alexander said.
 
“Parents, when they come in for afternoon pickup, things like that, and events and things like that, we don’t want to have people parking in the grass and sitting out on the road,” Alexander said. “That’s a safety feature as much as anything else.”
 
“I am very excited to be able to do this,” he said. “One of my goals when I became superintendent was to improve facilities and we’ve been able to do that.”
 

South Edmonson Elementary students help break ground for new construction at South Edmonson Elementary School Saturday June 14 in Smiths Grove.

The Pledge of Allegiance is said before the groundbreaking ceremony at South Edmonson Elementary School Saturday June 14 in Smiths Grove.

​He is proud to be able to break ground on the project and said one thing that makes it easier is how well he feels he and the Board share a similar vision and work together to achieve it, Alexander said.
 
The money is from a bonding allotted to each school district “based on a formula that allows how much money they can bond,” Alexander said.
 
One reason they are doing this, he said, including Kyrock, is because “we know Edmonson County is getting ready to grow,” he said.
 
With houses being built across the street from South Edmonson and the developments throughout Chalybeate and Edmonson County, it sure seems like it just might.
 
They want to stay ahead of that, Alexander explained. They never want to be caught having to expand with mobile trailers resulting in kids to be out in the weather to move around, he said.
 
“It’s a very exciting time to be a part of Edmonson County Schools,” Alexander said.

Friends, families, teachers, faculty past and present attend the groundbreaking ceremony at South Edmonson Elementary School Saturday June 14 in Smiths Grove.

The ground was broken at South Edmonson Elementary School Saturday June 14 in Smiths Grove.

​As the event began, the first speaker was Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey. He welcomed everyone and the “new chapter” he said is opening in Edmonson County.
 
The expansion of the school and then the ability to retain students after 4th grade through to 6th grade will benefit the school, the students and their families plus the community for generations to come, Lindsey said.
 
District 19 Kentucky Representative Michael Meredith stopped by to not only share in the excitement for the new growth in the county but offered commendation for the county to see down the pike and prepare for the future, he said.
 
South Edmonson Principal Josh Long shared in everyone’s excitement.
 
“It’s very exciting,” Long said. “(I’m)Just thankful for the opportunity that Mr. Alexander and the Board members have given us. I’m really excited we get to keep kids from kindergarten through sixth grade, and we get them to that point and prepare them for middle school.”
 
Currently, after fourth grade, students go to the 5/6 Center for fifth and sixth grades. The 2025-26 school year will be the final one for the 5/6 Center.
 
“We are really excited to get the opportunity to help them get prepared before middle school,” Long said.
 
The construction is scheduled to start in the next couple weeks or so, weather permitting.