Breaking ground on new Joplin Schools - KOAM TV 7

Joplin's Journey following last year's tornado continues today with two big ceremonies for the Joplin School District.

This morning a groundbreaking was held for Irving Elementary.  District officials were joined by students at the school's new location.  The new Irving Elementary will be located on property just south of the destroyed Saint John's Hospital.

A joint Irving and Emerson choir sang together to celebrate the joining of the two schools at the new building.

Students from present and past wanted to have a hand in the groundbreaking.

The school district plans to have students in the classroom at Irving Elementary by Fall 2013.

This afternoon at the site of the old East Middle school a groundbreaking ceremony will be held for the new middle school and elementary school.  This new elementary school will serve both Duquesne and Duenweg elementary students.

The school district was able to salvage items from the old middle school like sinks, toilets and some chairs that will be reused when the school is rebuilt.  That saved the district close to $1 million.

This afternoon Joplin faculty, staff and residents are putting the past behind them and breaking ground for the future of the new middle school and elementary schools.