Campbell County Schools return to class on Wednesday, and Grant’s Lick Elementary School Students will be doing so in a brand-new school.
The project has been in the works since 2019, when the district purchased 80 acres at 293 Nagel Road near Plum Creek Church due to the age of the current building, built in 1936. A groundbreaking for the building took place on Feb. 3, 2024. Four days before the start of the 2025-2026 school year, the district held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 9.
In designing the new facility, the district said they hoped to preserve the traditional character of the original building, incorporating features such as pillars, a weather vane (tells the direction of the wind), a cupola (a small, dome-shaped structure, typically located on top of a roof), natural light and a custom bench crafted in homage to the original wood flooring.
“Today, we aren’t just celebrating one building in our district, we are celebrating the Campbell County Schools vision, fulfilled,” said Superintendent Dr. Shelli Wilson at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This new campus is a reflection of our commitment to providing world-class, student-centered learning environments that support both innovation and excellence.”
The Campbell County Board of Education accepted construction bids for the project in December 2023 from Monarch Construction for $34,088,000, with the total cost of the new facility being $40,364,963.
The project included a full-site development package, including drop-off and parking for buses, cars, staff and the initial curb cuts.
According to the district, special attention was given to the use of space to maximize instructional time and create flexible, collaborative learning opportunities. Resource classrooms are located between core classrooms with adjoining doors to reduce transition time and provide access to staff and materials.
A retractable wall transforms the gym stage into a dedicated music and performing arts space. The art room features tall windows for natural light, while the multi-windowed school resource officer office offers visibility to all major entrances.
Additional features include a wing that is certified as a transformable storm shelter, grade-level collaboration areas and multipurpose meeting spaces.
“As proud as I am of how this building looks, I’m even more excited about what will happen inside, the learning, the friendships, and the memories our students will create for years to come,” said Board of Education Chair Peggy Schultz at the ceremony. “Just as we worked to keep the look and feel of the original building, we are proud to carry on the tradition of excellence in this new space.”
Before the current Grant’s Lick Elementary School was built, the school started as nine one-room schools. According to an old journal about the school titled “In The Beginning” by Elizabeth Vater Florence, the board of education bought 3.1 acres of land for $186. Bids were awarded to Herman Walter of Mentor, Kentucky, with a base bid of $34,723.
Vater Florence said in the journal that the school was the focal point of the community war effort during World War II, serving as the location where citizens met to register for the draft and ration cards for sugar and gasoline.
The elementary school building was ready for occupancy on Oct. 30, 1936.
The ribbon-cutting celebration had student involvement throughout. The Campbell County High School choir students sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “My Old Kentucky Home.”
Grant’s Lick Elementary students created a red, purple, and black paper chain to serve as the ceremonial ribbon, held it for the cut and concluded the cutting of the ribbon with the Grant’s Lick Elementary School song.
Community members were invited to the event to tour the new school.
“This project is a true testament to what’s possible when a community believes in its public schools,” Wilson said. “Today, as we cut this ribbon, we symbolically open the doors of opportunity for every child who steps inside.”