Cheers, applause, and excitement filled the air Wednesday morning as the Melrose Elementary community gathered to celebrate a historic milestone — the groundbreaking for the school’s future campus.
Students, staff, district leaders, community members, and business partners came together on the school’s grounds to mark the beginning of construction on the new Melrose Elementary School. With a portion of the existing building already removed to make way for the future facility, the entire student body was able to witness the moment firsthand.
Throughout the ceremony, students made their excitement known. Each time speakers mentioned the groundbreaking or the future of their school, they erupted into cheers and applause. Their enthusiasm was a fitting response for a celebration centered around building something just for them.
Principal Leah Lundy described the day as both exciting and emotional for the school community.
While the construction represents a bright future, she acknowledged that it also comes with a sense of nostalgia as parts of the existing school are being demolished.
In the weeks leading up to the groundbreaking, Lundy shared that alumni have been welcomed back to campus for walkthroughs, allowing former students the chance to revisit their childhood classrooms and share memories of their time at Melrose Elementary.
Turning to the students gathered in front of her, Lundy reminded them how special the moment truly was.
“This is history before your eyes,” Lundy said. “We are literally building the future for you.”
Superintendent Rick Surrency echoed the significance of the occasion, sharing his pride in both the school and the community gathered to celebrate the milestone.
“This is history,” Surrency said. “I could not be more proud to be here at this event in this community during such a momentous occasion.”
School Board Member Linda Wagner also addressed the crowd, reflecting on the deep connection between the school and the community it serves.
“This school is unique because it is the focal point of Melrose,” Wagner said. “It is the primary part of this town. It is the heartbeat of Melrose.”
For one teacher in attendance, the groundbreaking represented a powerful full-circle moment.
Sara Hebert, now a teacher at Melrose Elementary, once walked the same campus as a student. Hebert attended Melrose Elementary as a first grader in 1994 and was present when ground was broken for the classrooms that were later built at the back of the school.
Now, decades later, she stood among colleagues and students as the school once again broke ground, this time for the future of the next generation learners.
The ceremony brought together leaders from across the community in support of the project. In attendance were members of the Putnam County School Board, County Commissioners, representatives from Parrish McCall Construction, Superintendent Surrency and members of the district’s leadership team, along with the entire Melrose Elementary student body.
As ceremonial shovels turned the first dirt, students watched with excitement, witnessing the beginning of a new chapter for their school.
For the Melrose community, the groundbreaking represents more than the start of construction. It symbolizes an investment in the future, one that today’s students will grow up remembering as the moment they watched their new school begin to rise.
View the full photo gallery from the event
Watch the full groundbreaking ceremony (Coming Soon!)
#ProudtobePCSD