It's official; students let the dirt fly for the new elementary.

Monday was a historic day for the Indian Lake School District.

The school hosted a groundbreaking for the 18.5 million dollar elementary, which will be located behind the Indian Lake Middle School near County Road 91.

A dozen students from Lakeview Elementary and Huntsville Elementary tossed the first shovels of dirt. The students were selected after winning recent coloring contests. (Audio interview and pictures included.)

Administrators and school board members break ground.

The project became a reality when voters passed a bond issue by two votes in November 2006.

McGlothlin said the new building is really about the students. He also praised the community for its support.

Listen to Dr. McGlothlin recap the groundbreaking and what it means to the Indian Lake community. 

Originally, the district put the bond issue on the ballot in 1998.

The new Indian Lake Elementary will serve grades K-4.

It will replace two very old buildings.

School officials commented that Huntsville Elementary opened in 1912 and Lakeview Elementary served its first students in 1928.

Ferguson Construction Company is the general contractor.

The project is expected to be done by August '09.

Site preparation work started about a week ago.

With the new elementary, all Indian Lake students will be on one campus at the intersection of State Route 274 and State Route 235.

Students pose before their big moment.

Dr. McGlothlin addresses the crowd on what he called a special day for current and future students.

The crowd gathers for the groundbreaking.