Lemoore Elementary District 'officially' breaks ground on Freedom Elementary School slated to open in August 2021

Freedom Elementary School, already under construction for over a month, has scheduled its grand opening for August 2021 when kindergarten through sixth-grade students begin occupying Lemoore’s newest school.

The new school sits behind the Lemoore Elementary School District Office at the intersection of Cinnamon and 19th Avenue.

It’s been a long time between schools, said the district’s superintendent, Cheryl Hunt, who hosted the gathering, held beneath an awning on a warm but pleasant Friday afternoon. The last elementary school built in Lemoore was 20 years ago when Cinnamon School arrived on the scene.

“This has been scheduled for a long time,” said Hunt, who welcomed a plethora of teachers, administrators, and board members to the groundbreaking ceremony. Also, in attendance were the project builders, with Bush Construction and its president, Michael Bush. “I’m so pleased to be here. It’s an exciting day for the district,” she said.

Superintendent Cheryl Hunt signs a cross beam to be used in the new schools administration building.

Board members Jerry Waymire, Mark Pescatore, Ed Mendes, and Stephen Todd were also in attendance, joining school officials in an official groundbreaking ceremony – complete with gold shovels.

The school is a welcome addition to the district following the 2018 general election when the school’s $26 million bond effort, Measure D, easily passed with a 59.44 percent vote.

The school is expected to welcome about 550 students next year and eventually build at least 24 classrooms and other facilities to accommodate up to 700 students.

“I’m so happy to be here and celebrate this accomplishment,” said the district’s board president, Jerry Waymire.  “It takes a lot of work and dedication to get this done.”

Longtime board member Stephen Todd admitted that he didn’t think the 2018 bond would pass, based on the district’s history with school bonds. “I think we did everything right this time,” he said. “it would never have been done without a lot of support from the community. The future looks bright.”

School officials also got to sign a ‘’special beam” that will end up in the new school’s administration office.

Before the community finally passed Measure D in 2018, the last time the district tried a bond measure was in 2004, which failed at the ballot box. In 2018 the district convinced local voters to approve the bond based on expected student enrollment.

The Lemoore Elementary School District, with over 3,300 students, currently maintains seven schools: Liberty Middle School, University Charter School, Bridges Academy, Lemoore Elementary, Meadow Lane, P.W. Engvall, and Cinnamon Elementary School.

Proceeds from the 2018 measure were also intended to fund the renovation of existing classrooms and school facilities, including the installation of new lighting systems and replacing air conditioning systems.