The ground has officially been broken for ADM’s new high school.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 11 with representatives from the ADM Community School District along with the architect and construction companies.
“We’ve got great support from our community and our families; we’ve got amazing teachers; we have a great administrative staff,” said ADM School Board President Tim Canney. “We’re just super excited to have a facility that will help support that and help support our kids.”
Voters in November 2023 approved a $58 million bond issue for the school district to cover projects that included the new high school along with a preschool center, renovations to the current middle/high school building and new outdoor athletic facilities.
The new high school, located south of Adel along Highway 169, will have a capacity of 1,000 students.
“This is a special event that marks a special occasion,” said ADM Superintendent Greg Dufoe. “This project is a big one. This building will be over 180,000 square feet and it’s going to cost more than $60 million.”
The new high school is expected to open in fall 2027.
Four groups took turns turning the shovel during the groundbreaking ceremony, including ADM school board members and administrators, Mayor Jim Peters and representatives from FRK Architects + Engineers and Stahl Construction, high school teachers and students.
“The high school team is represented by several rock star ADM teachers who are among our most veteran and experienced,” Dufoe said. “To have them be able to turn a shovel today representing the ceremonial start of this complex means a ton to us. They’ve been loyal and committed to ADM for years and now we’re going to have an impressive new facility in which they’ll be able to do their outstanding work.”
The final group to turn a shovel included ADM students who represent all four grade levels that will start at the high school in the fall of 2027. The students included Julie Holloway, Fletcher Adams, Alida Timmerman, Sage Livingston, Langston Wilkins, Nellie Hoodjer, Jack Leistikow and Ella Subbert.
“You’re really the reason why we’re here,” Dufoe said to the students during the groundbreaking ceremony. “It really fires us up to bring this beautiful, modern facility and when we walk in the doors in a couple of years, it’s going to knock all of our socks off. We just can’t wait.”
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: ADM breaks ground on new high school
Reporting by Allison Ullmann, Dallas County News / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
