By Derek Spellman

dspellman@joplinglobe.com

NEOSHO, Mo. — Work continues on construction of a new elementary school in the Neosho R-5 School District, with officials planning for the project to be complete by December.

The ice storm in January, combined with other poor weather, hampered work, but Superintendent Richard Page said construction is now going well.

“They are out there six days a week now,” he said of the crews.

Voters in April 2006 approved a $12.5 million bond issue for the district to build a new elementary school and for work at the high school.

The $9 million elementary school is being built on the western edge of town, near the middle school. It will accommodate about 500 pupils and contain 25 classrooms. School officials said the new school was needed to:

n Solve the crowding problem at existing elementary schools.

n Provide room for expansion.

n Improve teacher-pupil ratios.

The elementary school is the largest of several projects that will be under way this summer in the school district.

In March, the school board awarded a contract of $3.05 million to Branco Enterprises Inc., of Neosho, for the renovation and expansion of the high school. Branco edged out R.E. Smith Construction Co., of Joplin, which bid $3.124 million.

The project entails construction of five new chemistry labs, two new science classrooms, new seating and renovations for the auditorium, and a new north entrance for the school.

The current windows were installed in the 1950s, a former school board member has said. Those windows will be replaced by modern, energy-efficient windows that school officials have said will help cut down on energy costs.

Page said crews will start replacing the windows in July. The work on the auditorium should be complete by the time school starts, he said.