MISHAWAKA — School City of Mishawaka leadership says construction on the new Hums Elementary School building is progressing well, with the $41 million project around halfway completed and on track to open in time for the start of the 2027-28 school year.
Construction began last fall, with the project divided into two main phases. The new school is being built alongside the old building, which is expected to be demolished next summer once the new facility is finished.
Mishawaka schools and construction company F.A. Wilhelm held a media site tour on Tuesday, July 28, to give an update on the project.
“The community has been very gracious in terms of their support for this new building,” Superintendent Theodore Stevens told media. “And we like to keep them updated and posted in terms of where their tax dollars are going and what’s happening with their dollars.”
Construction progress
The building’s layout is finished and interior walls are constructed, and crews are now in the process of finishing the exterior.
Once that’s finished, Stevens said, they can begin painting, electrical work and other finishing touches, which should move along quickly.
“Last time I was physically on the site doing this walkthrough was probably about five weeks ago,” he said. “And it’s amazing how much work they’ve accomplished in five weeks.”
The new building will be situated closer to the homes behind the school property than the current facility, but, Stevens said, the school was designed to be as considerate of its neighbors as possible. Architects made sure not to place the gymnasium in the back corner nearest the homes, he said, and there also won’t be many windows in that part of the building.
Stevens added that the building was designed to be “student-focused.” The facility has a separate kindergarten entrance, and the classrooms are placed along corridors that branch off from the main part of the school, where the cafeteria, gym and media center are located.
The building also includes reinforced spaces that can act as storm shelters.
The new school will be safer and better for teaching
Stevens said the new building will be more secure and more conducive to teaching than the existing school.
The old Hums Elementary was “built in that open concept period of time,” he said, meaning many classrooms don’t have doors, and originally, they didn’t even have walls. According to the school’s website, the Hums Elementary facility was built in 1970.
“It’s hard to teach a kindergarten class when you have another classroom right next door,” Stevens said. “It’s very distracting; it’s hard to learn.”
He said the open concept layout also brings security concerns, because it makes it difficult to keep students and staff in a secure and contained area. While there wasn’t an incident at the old school that prompted this need for additional security, Stevens said, the district and Hums Principal Jeff Yohe both see the need for a way to lock down the school in the event of an emergency.
“Having the ability to lock doors, having the ability to keep our students safe throughout the day, I certainly believe, is a priority of our parents,” Stevens said, “and certainly a priority of our school corporation.”
The building has also had water infiltration issues in the past, Stevens previously told The Tribune, with standing water appearing in the school after heavy rain that sometimes caused delays or closings. And, he said, the cost of a full renovation would be almost the same as that of a new building.
Goodbye Roadrunners, hello Huskies
Stevens said the building isn’t the only part of the school getting a makeover.
The school’s existing mascot, the Hums Roadrunners, will change to the Hums Huskies. The school held a poll for a new mascot, and after two rounds of surveys with Hums students, parents and staff, the Huskies won.
Yohe previously said the mascot’s name will be “Freddy” after Hums Elementary’s namesake, Mishawaka native and longtime school board President Fred J. Hums.
When asked how the students feel about the new building, Stevens said they’re excited.
“I know that the sixth grade students who now go to John Young (Middle School), and they don’t get an opportunity to come to the new Hums, I think they’re a little bit bummed,” he said.
As for the community response, Stevens said it’s been entirely positive. He said he was expecting some negative views on the new school, but to his surprise, community members have been only supportive of the project.
“I think that speaks in part to the shape of the old building,” Stevens said. “I think the taxpayers understand we’re trying to get the most for their dollar here in Mishawaka. I think they believe we’ve gotten their money’s worth out of that existing building.
“We’re not looking to spend money in a frivolous way on the new building, but we want it to be a building that the community can be proud of and that will last and stand the test of time.”
Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Rayleigh Deaton at rdeaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka schools gives update on new Hums Elementary opening fall 2027
Reporting by Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
