Warren, AR-Members of the Warren School District Board, government officials, School staff, and community members gathered on the west side of the Warren Schools campus Monday afternoon, November 8, 2021 to break ground on the construction of a brand new elementary school and multi-purpose basketball arena.
Warren School District Superintendent Bryan Cornish led the ceremony. He thanked the entire Warren community for voting in support of the project. He also thanked the Warren School Board members for getting behind the idea several years ago.
After a short speech, Superintendent Cornish invited members of the School Board, as well as State Representative Jeff Wardlaw and State Senator Ben Gilmore, to take part in the official groundbreaking. Also taking part was Warren Athletic Director and Head Lumberjack Football Coach Bo Hembree and the owner of Clark Contractors Construction, William Clark.
Warren residents voted in February of 2021 to increase Warren’s millage from 36.5 to 41.5 in order to help fund the construction of the two new buildings. The vote was 347-113 in favor.
The new elementary school will be built northwest of the current Warren Middle School. The new basketball arena will be situated just to the east of the new elementary school and southwest of Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium. The basketball arena will be able to hold 1,895 people for games, and 2,500 people for expanded events.
Top photo(from left to right): William Clark, CEO of Clark Contractors, Bo Hembree, Warren Athletic Director, Shannon Gorman, Warren School Board Member, State Representative Jeff Wardlaw, Joey Cathey, Warren School Board Member, Bryan Cornish, Warren Schools Superintendent, Jerry Daniels, Warren School Board President, Angela Marshall, Warren School Board Member, State Senator Ben Gilmore, Sara Weaver, Elementary School Principal, and Joel Tolefree, Warren School Board Member
Groundbreaking photos by Saline River Chronicle
Mock-up graphics courtesy of the Warren School District