Brady PieperAn Illinois school district is approving a new land acquisition to replace a century-old elementary school serving Murrayville and Woodson.
In a special session on March 25, the Jacksonville School District 117 Board authorized $320,000 in bond sales toward the purchase of eight acres of land in downtown Murrayville, which will be developed as the site for the new Murrayville-Woodson elementary school.
The land purchase will allow the district to construct a new school facility that accommodates students from the existing school and some surrounding facilities, such as the South and Eisenhower elementary schools.
While the purchase contract will be enacted on May 9, the district will allow the original landowner to operate and till the land until the fall harvest is concluded.
Now that the land is secured, the district will enter into the planning and design stage for the new Murrayville-Woodson elementary. Officials will host community engagement sessions to gather public and stakeholder feedback on the development.
The project is expected to cost approximately $20 million and to be complete sometime in 2027. Jacksonville School District 117 will seek contractors for the development and construction of the new school and potential utility work. This contracting bidding window is slated for summer.
The existing elementary school, located approximately four miles from the project site, was initially constructed in 1917. Once students transition to the new school, the current facility will be torn down with funds from this bond sale, sales tax and the general fund, according to district officials.
District officials expect the new elementary school will educate displaced students, reduce overcrowding at other schools and modernize facilities for teachers, students and families. The district will also expand the new school to serve future student classes and population growth.
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