LEXINGTON (WSLS 10) - Construction on the new Waddell Elementary School in Lexington is nearly complete.
The $14 million school was built in the same location as the old K-5 school that was torn down 20 months ago. The original building was built in 1926, and was too expensive to fully renovate.
The build was originally planned to be completed before the 206-2017 schools year, however there were minor delays.
Students went back to school this week and will remain in converted trailer classrooms at Lylburn Downing Middle School until after Labor Day weekend.
After sharing another school's campus for two years, Superintendent Scott Jefferies says students and teachers are ready to come back.
"Although the partnership and cooperation has been outstanding, you can always tell, especially as it gets closer to completion that they are ready to get back in their new building," Jefferies said. "We are excited as well."
And there is a lot to be excited about. Inside the three-story school is a modern open design with colorful hallways leading into large classrooms complete with all the amenities, including big windows that Jefferies says creates a better learning environment for students.
"There are great views of outside in all of these classrooms," Jefferies said.
It's especially exciting for Tim Martino who became principal at Waddell after the old school was demolished. Once the move in is complete, it will be his first time as principal of the school in the actual school building.
"At the end of the day, it's a great opportunity for our kids to get a new home in a state of the art building and it's a place they can put their footprint on," Martino said.
He says each classroom is equipped with new laptops and smartboards.
The design has all the modern upgrades while keeping with traditions that were made with old Waddell including a piece of the original building that will hang out front.
A stone that hung on the old building with its building date of 1926 engraved on it hangs just below a new replica which instead has the new date that reads "2016."