HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County School Board approved four change orders and heard facility transition updates at their board meeting Thursday night.

Facility updates

By the start of the 2024 school year, the Indian Hills Elementary School campus will be the Martin Luther King Jr. Early Learning Center, Indian Hills Elementary will relocate to the Hopkinsville Middle School campus, and Hopkinsville Middle will relocate to the MLK Elementary School campus.

“The transitions are on schedule and as of right now everything is under budget,” said Kevin Crider, assistant superintendent.

The MLK Early Learning Center has undergone several renovations, including fresh interior paint, branded window wraps, restored and modernized restrooms, new hallway flooring, and more. “It is looking really nice and clean and simple,” said Crider.

Early Learning Center Principal Leigh Ann Stewart says the school will also feature a new indoor playground area with an indoor play community center.

Hopkinsville Middle has seen changes such as new outdoor lighting, branded window wraps, and the conversion of larger classrooms into sports locker rooms. Indian Hills Elementary has been updated with new branding inside and out, along with a new floor that Crider describes as creating a homey atmosphere.

Construction updates and change orders

Alliance Corporation Construction Manager Kevin Hitchel said the site for the consolidated Christian County High School is looking good, and this week’s rain has dried out very quickly.

“The band, choir and art area is still in the foundation stages, but everywhere else concrete slab has been poured,” said Hitchel.

Hitchel also alerted the board that they are keeping a close eye on the switchgear for the school which will distribute power to the building. “That is our biggest obstacle right now, and we are talking to the electrician to come up with a game plan.”

After hearing the updates, the board approved four change orders for the future school. The first two resulted from an expense for installation of floor boxes in the gym as well as mud and soil remediation. The other pair of change orders was a fund transfer resulting in no cost to the board.

DON’T MISS A STORY: Sign up for the free weekly Christian County Now email newsletter