Update: Kyrock, South Edmonson Construction Projects Running on Schedule

Supt. Brian Alexander shows features of the new Kyrock Elementary School on January 6, 2026.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Over $38 million dollars in local school construction projects are off and running, and running on schedule, according to Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander.

He led the Edmonson Voice on a tour of both elementary schools, the all-new, state-of-the-art facility Kyrock and the renovation and addition at South Edmonson. 

View of the new Kyrock Elementary from the bus entry.

While the new Kyrock is currently mostly just new concrete walls, gravel, and some mud, the site is starting to take the shape of a school with the addition of the large red, steel structure in the middle, which represents the entrance. 

The green walls are insulated concrete that will help tremendously with operating costs, according to Alexander.

"The walls are poured and with today's building technology, everything is so super-efficient. This new building has been a long time coming and our kids deserve it," he said.

Not only the building itself is going to impress. The current Kyrock was last remodeled in the 90s and a portion of the school has been changed very little since the 70s. It sits on 11 acres. The new school is planted on a massive 61-acre plot that will lend itself to much more than just elementary school needs.

"We have enough space here to create new homes for several things our school system needs," he said. 

Some of those potentially include a home for archery, cross country, soccer fields, perhaps a baseball field, and even more, he said.  Those potentials will be prioritized in the near future, he added. 

Front view of the entrance.

Side view of the front entrance.

Spot of the parent-visitor entrance on HWY 259N, just across from the current school.

One of the biggest needs the school currently faces is the parent pickup area along with school bus entrance and exits.

"We'll have those separated for safety and efficiency," he said. "Our buses will be able to loop in and out from the Blackgold Road side while student pickup and drop off will be on 259, just across from the current school. We'll have plenty of room for everybody."

Of course, the new school itself won't be lacking room, either. It's set to comfortably hold 550 students with ages pre-K through 6th grade. There will plenty of room to grow as Kyrock currently has around 270 students enrolled.

Some features in the new Kyrock will be restrooms in each classroom, a gymnasium that will also serve as a state-approved tornado shelter with it's own power and water source, and a cafeteria that can also be used as an auxiliary gym. The second floor will feature classrooms for older kids with space that overlooks the cafeteria area.

While residents near the site may not be crazy about the messy and sometime noisy construction process, many are happy to know now that the decision has been to keep the old Kyrock intact after the new one is built. Multiple options for its use is currently being explored, with one possibility of the county government taking ownership; however, only ideas are being discussed at this point.

Alliance Corp. is in charge of the building project with local resident Andrew Bolton serving as job site supervisor. The project is set to be complete in May of 2027 with the August '27 school year being its inaugural year.

Site supervisor Andrew Bolton (L) and Lannie Deweese, director of maintenance and transportation for the school system at the site.

South Edmonson Elementary (SEES), also still known to many in the county as "the new elementary school," is not so new anymore. In fact, it's hard to believe, but it's now over 25 years old as construction began in 1999. With age comes new needs, which for the Bulldogs, are space, roof repairs, and and HVAC upgrade, some of which are already completed.

"With South Edmonson, we are seeing a need for expansion with that part of the county growing so quickly," Alexander said. "The current school was built with expansion in mind, so we're coming right off the back of the building with simply more of it." 

The new portion will house younger kids on the first floor and older ones on the second. 

Upon walking through the newly renovated library, which is near completion, Alexander pointed out there were no trash barrels set up to catch leaky roof moisture, something that has plagued the school for years. Thanks to a new roof the leaks are gone. 

View of SEES expansion from the Chalybeate Sports Complex Road.

SEES expansion site, Jan. 6, 2026.

SEES expansion site, Jan. 6, 2026.

SEES expansion site, Jan. 6, 2026.

"We're a little tighter on the schedule here at South due to some weather and other delays, but we're still hopeful to have it finished on-time," he said. 

SEES, with an enrollment of 400, and more expected in the near future, will also feature room to grow after the expansion, something Alexander wanted to ensure as he works toward the latter part of his 30-plus year education career.

"When I became superintendent, there were a list of things of things I wanted to accomplish. Getting our school facilities up to our current needs and for our future needs was at the top of that list. We are fortunate to also have a school board that has a similar vision. We've all worked together to make these things happen and I'm very proud of our county for the progress made," he said. 

Both projects are ongoing with little or no hindrance to current instruction or school-related activities. The Kyrock project cost is around $31M and the SEES project at approx. $7.4M.