Madison Dedication Scheduled SundayStudents at Madison Elementary School Monday afternoon were taking advantage of all the opportunities the new school provides.
First-graders were taking Accelerated Reader tests in the state-of-the-art computer lab. Greg Burgher was providing a lesson to a second-grade physical education class in the new gym, with students learning about balance. While Michele Avery was reading to her third-graders in the library, located in the "heart" of the building, Terry Sims' fourth-grade class was working on nutrition.
Sunday at 2 p.m., the community can see where and how all the learning takes place when Madison hosts its dedication ceremony. The ceremony is the last of the four new elementary schools' dedications, with Claypool, Jefferson and Leesburg hosting theirs in the first half of the 2010-11 school year.
The new Madison and Leesburg schools share the same design. The schools were the recipients of the 2008 American School and University Educational Design Excellence Award for Outstanding New Prototype Elementary School Design. Kovert Hawkins, Jeffersonville, was the architectural firm for all four of the school projects.
The contractor for the project was Fetters Construction Inc. The contract sum for both Leesburg and Madison was $24,506,800.
Madison, a four-section school, includes 98,916 square feet of building. It sits on a 20-acre site.
Principal Jacob Hoag said the guest speakers for the dedication ceremony Sunday will include Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz, School Board Vice President Dan Robinson, teacher Gail Crone and parent Emily Mclane.
Music students in first through sixth grade will perform. The sign language club will sign the Pledge of Allegiance.
After the one-hour ceremony, Hoag said, the community is welcome to have some refreshments and tour the building.
"We're excited," he said. "It's kind of been a long time coming, so we're excited to finally showcase the school to the community."
