Truman Primary’s progress continues
Norman elementary school completion on schedule

BY JENNIFER GRISWOLD Comments 0
Published: October 31, 2009

NORMAN — Progress continues on Norman’s newest elementary school, despite the rainy weather.

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Construction is in the beginning stages on two other district building projects: 10-classroom additions at Whittier Middle School and Roosevelt Elementary School. Rain has slowed progress at those sites, said Roger Brown, assistant superintendent of administrative services. District officials hope the additions will be ready by August. The additions will cost about $2 million each. Both are bond issue projects approved by voters in 2007.

Truman Primary School is on schedule to open when school starts in August. About 60 percent of the building has been completed so far, said Roger Brown, assistant superintendent of administrative services.

Construction was pretty far along by the time the rains hit this summer, he said. Some exterior work remains, but crews have been able to work on the building’s interior on rainy days.

"So we’re not losing any days,” he said. "We’re well under way. It looks like a school now.”

The nearly 64,000-square-foot elementary school, which is behind Truman Elementary, 600 Parkside Road, is being built to alleviate overcrowding there. The $10.5 million project is part of a 2007 bond issue approved by voters.

The building will have room for 500 students in prekindergarten through second grade.

School officials have been working to staff the school.

Norman School Board members voted to hire Kristie Eselin as the school’s principal earlier this month.

She has been the principal at Truman Elementary School for the past year. She was an assistant principal there and a long-time teacher at Cleveland Elementary School before that.

Eselin has a master’s degree in reading education from University of Oklahoma.