Wendell, Idaho (KMVT-TV) Two years ago Wendell voters approved a nearly ten million dollar bond to build a new elementary school. Construction began last summer, and now even the old school has been torn down.

Greg Lowe, Superintendent for the Wendell School District, says, "There were actually six separate buildings, nine modular classrooms and three brick buildings. And so the square footage changed when we added a modular or took away a modular."

Workers are putting the finishing touches on the new Wendell Elementary School, which will house 580 students in more than 56,000 square feet, roughly 20,000 more square feet than the old elementary school. Lowe says there are more full size rooms in the new building.

Lowe says, "We'll have all of our kids together under one roof, which is going to be great for security, just for the effectiveness of what we're providing for our kids. It's going to be much, much better."

Lowe says now that the old school building is out of the way, they can start adding four more classrooms which will be usable by December. In the meantime, the new school will officially open for business at the end of August.

Lowe says, "The community's excited, we have nice buildings facility, we're in good shape. Our challenge now is to keep them maintained so they'll stay nice."

July 19, 2012.