Interim superintendent of schools Craig Davoulas speaks about the potential of Saddle Ridge Elementary and Saddle Ridge Middle School. (Messenger photo/Matt Ledger)
These are the foundation blocks and rebar that will form the front entrance to the new school in Rock Spring. (Messenger photo/Matt Ledger)
Chris Jones gives details about the new school to community members assembled for the ground breaking. (Messenger photo/Matt Ledger)
School board chairwoman Patty Hart announced the new school names, as a red, white and blue banner was unveiled with the school colors and new name.
Students will be attending Saddle Ridge Elementary and Saddle Ridge Middle School in 2013, with a Mustang naturally being selected as mascot.
Interim superintendent of schools Craig Davoulas welcomed the large group of community members. School board members stood beside two large drawings, both depicting the modern and scenic front of the school.
Davoulas recognized former superintendent Melissa Mathis, as “she has been so instrumental in this project from the very onset.”
Damon Raines, from Catoosa County Schools, was also invited to grab a golden shovel with school board members. He will become superintendent on July 1.
Guests for the ceremony could see the initial building blocks that have been laid to create the foundation of the school.
They also drove through the wooded 95-acre site along the same path that will one day have busloads of students daily.
“Some say that with the economy and the challenges we face that America’s future is somewhat dim,” Davoulas said. “We are standing on a project that the good people of Walker County supported through the ESPLOST.
“If our long-range plans come to fruition we will have a high school here,” Davoulas said.
Students will learn “to revere the Constitution and they will learn about a great battlefield that is just over the hill, where Americans struggled and gave their last full measure,” Davoulas said.
Chris Jones, the facilities and operations supervisor, spoke second, thanking Rentenbach Construction and Neuhoff-Taylor Architects along with other contractors and county officials that have helped with the project.
The building will be approximately 115,000 square feet with the capacity of 659 students.
The school will contain 41 instructional classrooms, with a large common area for collaborative learning, according to Jones
There is no word on who created the name for the school, which was picked by school board members from online submissions.
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