LONOKE, Ark. — Lonoke community members, school district administrators and board members gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony Friday to celebrate the beginning of construction on the new 50,703 square-foot Lonoke Primary School.
The new building, designed by architect Clayton Vaden from Lewis Architects Engineers, has 24 classrooms, including outside dining and reading areas.
Delk Construction has been tasked with building the new primary school, which will be paid for with state and community funds.
The Lonoke Public School District said they were eligible to apply for state funding due to the current primary school being nearly 50 years old.
"Our district has completed the application process and is one of 18 projects approved throughout Arkansas," LPSD Communications Director Rachel Starks said.
Here's an expected timeline provided by LPSD:
- The 2023-2024 school year will be finished in the current primary school
- The 2024-2025 school year will start in the current primary school
- before transitioning to the new building in the Spring 2025 semester
- Demolition on the old building will begin during the Spring 2025 semester to allow for the completion of the drive and parking lots at the front of the new building
"We ask for patience from our community during construction and demolition," Starks said. "While it may seem like a slow process, it will be worth the wait."
Below are renderings of the new Lonoke Primary School:
