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Major school construction projects are underway in Springfield, Branson, Nixa

With no rain and no students, workers are ahead of schedule

July 26, 2012|by Ashley Reynolds, KY3 News | areynolds@ky3.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- While students are enjoying their last few weeks of summer, construction crews are working on schools.

Westport Elementary in Springfield is in the process of becoming a kindergarten through eighth grade school.

"It takes time through the planning process and all of that, but to see it come up out of the ground and moving forward, there's a lot of excitement here.  A lot of facilities we have throughout the district are really old.  Programming has changed in how we use those spaces. With these changes, it helps how programming is done with education today," said Scott Wendt, director of business operations for the Springfield School District.

"I'm starting my tenth year with the district.  We have grown 40 percent in 10 years.  We have seen phenomenal growth here in Branson," said Branson School District Superintendent Doug Hayter.

In Branson, a $42 million bond issue is becoming a reality.  By next spring, the High School Activity Center should be complete. This will provide locker rooms, a wrestling area, and a multipurpose room. Crews are also building a new elementary school.

A new wing for Branson High School is in the works.  It will be the Ninth Grade Center.

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In Nixa, workers are also expanding the high school to keep up with the growth in Christian County.

"This is all part of the high school being expanded because we are out of room," said Zac Rantz, a spokesman for the Nixa School District.

About half of all the schools in Nixa have a construction project.

A lack of rain has kept projects ahead of schedule.

Some of those projects will be complete during the 2012-2013 school year.  All of the projects should be done within the next three years.

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