Melba elementary school students, parents, teachers and district administrators broke ground to moving tractors and footings for a new elementary school on Monday. Melba trustees, Rep. Christy Perry, Superintendent Andy Grover and elementary principal Sherry Adams all had golden shovels and hard hats to celebrate construction that is in full swing.

“Once a great building stood where the new school is going,” said Melba trustee Megan Volkers. “We will have a great foundation on what we will place our future upon.”

The old high school and the district maintenance shop is where the new school is going to be constructed. The new building comes after a $9.5 million bond passed in March. LKV Architects, which specializes in building elementary schools, is leading the construction project that will be 62,000 square feet with 24 classrooms. Melba has more than 400 elementary students and the current school building holds only 160 kids — the rest are in portable structures. The new school will hold 650 students.

“This school is for the community,” Grover said. “The new school will house and educate our students for the next four generations. We are hoping that we looked far enough into the future that this building will carry on that far.”

Demolition started in May and the school is expected to be completed in September 2016.

“The current school is falling apart and I don’t feel my kids are safe,” said Faith Robson, a parent of Melba Elementary. “I’m very excited and can’t wait to see the new school complete.”

Once the new school is completed the current elementary school will be demolished.