SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- Earlier this week leaders with Springfield Public Schools broke ground to construct the new site for York Elementary.

The new project is part of Proposition S, a nearly $168 million proposal approved in April 2019 to renovate or rebuild several buildings in the Springfield Public School system. The York project is worth $21 million and happened earlier than the District expected due to savings on bond projects.

Fifth-grader Brayden Roberts attended the groundbreaking says the feeling of out with the old and in with the new is bittersweet.

“A little bit sad because they had just put, remodeled the office and put the track in,” said Roberts.

Roberts has been attending York since second grade. His mother, Katelyn Carr, says the family clicked the reset button when they moved to Springfield.

“We kind of started over when we came to Springfield. And so it was a really big step for them to start here at York.”

York Elementary has sat at the same building for 100 years. Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Grenita Lathan says students and staff deserve the new facility.

“It is a long time coming, and our students and our staff members staff they deserve to learn in a beautiful facility,” said Lathan.

York is set to be finished in 17 months and will fit up to 300 students and bleachers to house events and activities. When York is completed, the District says students and staff will move in regardless of where they are in the semester. The next bond issue will be finalized in 2023.

SPS has two other Prop S projects that are soon to be completed, Boyd Elementary and Willaims Elementary. Both will be open before the start of the school year.