Construction continues at Hermosa elementary, middle school

HERMOSA, S.D. (KOTA) - The kindergarten through eighth-grade school in Hermosa is set for an expansion.

Superintendent Mark Naugle says they’re more than doubling their space with plans to add 60,000 square feet to the facility over the next year and a half.

Crews broke ground on the project in June.

Some additions include a new library and gym, expanded classrooms, and a new administrative area.

Currently, the school building is at full capacity.

Naugle says, on average, over the last ten years, they have seen a 5% growth in student enrollment every year.

“We really built the building looking to the future. We didn’t want to build a building that we were going to fill up our first year. If we did that, we made a mistake. So, we’re going to have room to grow in Hermosa. And we’re looking down the road at what’s happening with our demographics,” says Naugle.

Naugle says the project will cost about $14.6 million.

The district will use capital outlay certificates to pay for the construction.