By Chris Barber
Contributing Writer

Officials and students of the Kennett Consolidated School District celebrated the groundbreaking for the new Greenwood Elementary School, even as mountains of dirt and construction vehicles loomed around them.

The event marked the final approvals and permits needed to move forward on the project – a project that was slowed somewhat by tedious plans for the onsite waste sewage system.

The ceremonial digging along Greenwood Road proceeded on Friday, Nov. 15 under clear skies with students, board members, teachers and the high school marching band on hand.

The school district’s new Superintendent, Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, whose hiring was already well along when she came to Kennett in August, was enthusiastic as she greeted her audience.

Like the speakers who followed, she said she viewed the replacement building as the groundwork for support, encouragement, dedication and great futures for the students who will be occupying it.

District CFO Mark Tracy helped lead the planning and development of the project. Not only did he direct the Greenwood operations, he also had to handle the plans for the replacement New Garden Elementary School at the same time. Both buildings are destined for opening at some point in 2026. Their total cost is predicted to reach about $120 million combined for the two new schools.

Inasmuch as both buildings have onsite sewage systems, property size for the placement was an issue.

New Garden presented little or no problems, since it occupies a larger land area. Greenwood, however, had to be planned so that the two-story education center is on the geographic slope that contains the current onsite waste disposal system.

To solve the problem, Tracy had to obtain permissions to create a new area from environmental groups, Kennett Township and the Department of Environmental Protection as well as bringing in tons of dirt to build an actual land plateau to fill in where the slope has been for years.

With all the details obtained just weeks ago, the ceremony was festive and satisfying for those in the school district.

At the start pf the gathering, the high school band stayed around long enough to play “Sweet Caroline” and a few other upbeat numbers. Then they returned to their building.

Vicki Gehrt, the former board president who oversaw the birth of the proposal, and current President Dave Kronebnberg, took to the microphone and shared their feelings of accomplishment.

Under their leadership, the board selected the options of total replacement of the two buildings in lieu of upgrades, often speaking at meetings of the future needs of repairs that would continue if upgrades were chosen, especially in light of both their origins in 1963.

Tracy, looking proud and relieved, told his audience to look around.

“Just two months ago, this was a grass field,” he said.

He also praised the building construction crews who were able to keep the noise down to the point where he received no complaints from any teachers.

Perhaps the most enthusiastic speaker was Greenwood Elementary School Principal Bridgette Miles.

She told her audience that she believes, “It’s more than just a building. It inspires strength in its students as well as a sense of pride.”

She assembled a group of her students to take the shovels and scoop up dirt for the culmination of the ceremony. They complied with excitement and apparent joy.

In her closing remarks, Rizzo Saunders reiterated that the building will lay the foundation for students’ bright futures.