Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board members voted 4-2 to move forward with plans for renovations of Cumberland Road Elementary School and the school corporation’s administration building, authorizing administrators to begin negotiations with the CSO architectural firm for designs on those two projects.  The board also approved the management method for constructing the new elementary school planned along Cyntheanne Road, which is unnamed at this time.

Board members Howard Stevenson and Sylvia Shepler voted against the administration proposal, each saying there were provided with the information just hours before the November 21st session and did not have time to review the plan.  Neither indicated any opposition to the facility projects, they were concerned about not having enough time to fully evaluate the proposal.

The vote only authorized school officials to negotiate a contract with CSO Architects.  Once a contract agreement is reached, that document is subject to board approval.

Both the Cumberland Road Elementary and the administration building projects are expected to cost $8.5 million each.  The new elementary school along Cyntheanne Road is expected to cost about $22 million.  Voters approved a referendum authorizing the construction of a new elementary school years ago that allows for the construction of the new Kindergarten through 4th Grade building.

At a November 15 work session, board members were told the new (as yet unnamed) elementary school on Cyntheanne Road should be ready for the school year beginning in fall  of 2019.  The Cumberland Road renovations are expected to begin construction during the summer of 2017, with completion projected for the end of 2018 at the latest.  Work on the administration building should begin in the summer of 2017 and be finished during the final quarter of 2018.